Traumatic Brain Injuries

Hannah Student, Ryan Hennessey, Ryan Lawrence

Definition of TBI:

• A traumatic brain injury occurs when an external mechanical force causes brain dysfunction.

WE NEED FOUR VOLUNTEERS!

TBI- Causes-Any physical trauma that is directed at

the head can cause a Traumatic Brain Injury.

-Most injuries that penetrate the skull and affect brain tissue are the cause of TBIs.

Primary Causes

Who Is At Risk?-On average, each year 1.7 million

people sustain some sort of TBI-Approximately 18% of all TBI related

emergency room visits involve children aged 0-4

-Approximately 22% of all TBI hospitalizations involved adults aged 75 years and older

-59% of TBIs happen to males

Types of TBI• Closed injury:

This type of TBI occurs when the brain moves, shifts around, inside the skull without penetration

• Penetrating injury:

This type of TBI occurs when an object actually enters the skull.

CDC

Concussions: What is a concussion?

-Children and Teens are more likely to get a concussions than adults and take longer to recover from them

-Falls, Sports and Motor Vehicles are the the largest contributors to TBI's amongst kids and students

-A more serious concussion, can lead to consequences involving movement, speaking or learning.

Web MD

Concussions in Sports-Annually, 173,285 sports and recreation

related TBIs, including concussions, are reported amongst kids aged 0-19

-During the last decade, emergency room visits for sports related incidents in children increased by 60%

-Football, Basketball, Soccer, Bicycling, and Playground Activities are common activities where concussions can occur

Symptoms of Concussions Student is/has:• Unable to concentrate for very long• Can't recall new information• Terrible headaches• Blurry vision• Dizziness

• Sensitivity to light or noise• More emotional than usual

• Anisocoria

Shaken Baby Syndrome -Triad of symptoms including:

-Subdural Hematoma-Retinal Hemorrhage-Cerebral Oedema

-Can be caused by direct blows to the head, dropping or throwing a child, or shaking a child.

-Often fatal and a primary cause of brain damage amongst infants.

-

Shaken Baby Syndrome Con't-Because the anatomy of infants puts

them at particular risk for injury from this kind of action, the majority of victims are infants younger than 1 year old.

-SBS often causes irreversible damage. In the worst cases, children die due to their injuries.

-The children that survive often exhibit symptoms identical, if not worse than children with TBI's.

Penetrating TBI's

NEUROPLASTICITY!

• TBI as a developing disability

• Can we accurately predict a child's recovery?

Traumatic Brain Injury

How doctors test for Concussions or TBI's

• CT Scan • MRI • Extensive list of questions or activities • Blood Tests • Angiogram• ICP Monitor• EEG

How to Measure Functioning Ability of the

Patient• Disability Rating Scale

• Functional Independent Measurement• Functional Assessment Measurement• Glasgow Coma Scale

Characteristics of recovering TBI patients._If the child has partial or complete

paralysis_If the child has serious physical damage

to their head_If the child is often dizzy and tired_If a child's motor skills are not

functioning as usual _If the child has memory or attention

problems _If a child's senses have been impaired

Lasting effects of a TBI • Memory • Vision

• Depression • Paralysis

• Damaged motor skills• Headaches

Short Term Memory Loss

As a teacher, how can you recognize a student with TBI?

-If a child is depressed or anti-social -If a child is sensitive to light or sound-If a child's academic performance

suddenly falls far behind other students

-If a child has trouble maintaining balance

-If a child was absent from school for an extended amount of time for a hospital stay

Is an IEP or 504 necessary?

REMINDER!A child who suffered a traumatic brain

injury, is not technically/medically similar to a child with a learning disorder. A child who has suffered a TBI is in a different category than those with a learning disability.

However, they may exhibit the same characteristics and will benefit from the same learning/teaching strategies

How to create a compatible learning environment for TBI

students• Minimize stimulation• Space between desks • Small groups • Consistent Written Schedule • "Classroom buddy"

Learning strategies for TBI children

• Verbal/written instructions

• Shorter assignments

• Facilitate note-taking with specific headings

• Short & frequent quizzes

• Cues for catching/keeping their attention

what did you learn about TBI's that you didn't know before?