Brain Injury Awareness Month


What is Acquired Brain Injury?
The term Acquired Brain Injury (ABI or just Brain Injury) is used to describe damage that has occurred to the brain after birth. It includes: Traumatic Brain Injury, stroke, near suffocation and near drowning (lack of oxygen), and infections in the brain. 

How is Traumatic Brain Injury Different than Acquired Brain Injury?
Traumatic Brain Injury ~ known as a TBI is the result of external trauma to the head or violent movement of the head, such as from a fall, car crash or being shaken. TBI may or may not be associated with loss of consciousness, an open wound or skull fracture.

What are the signs of Brain Injury?
Fatigue
Headaches
Visual Disturbance
Memory Loss
Poor Attention
Poor Concentration
Sleep Disturbances
Dizziness/loss of balance
Irritability-emotional disturbance
Feelings of depression
Seizures
Decreased speed of processing information
Difficulties with communication
Impulsiveness
Difficulties with sensory perception including touch, smell, sight, taste and hearing
Trouble regulating body temperature
Appetite changes
Change in mood
Denial/ lack of awareness of the injury

Are these effects of Brain Injury Permanent?
Brain injuries are categorized as:

Mild (as in a concussion) Symptoms usually improve over 1-3 months
Moderate (may have an associated loss of consciousness of minutes or a few hours and followed by a few days or weeks of confusion). May have a longer period of impaired consciousness, more impaired verbal memory shortly after the injury and a lower likelihood of achieving a good recovery within 6 months.
Severe (may have a loss of consciousness, or coma, for 6 hours or longer, either immediately after the injury or after an intervening period of clarity.) There is risk of long-term disability.

Montana is 2nd per capita in the US for occurrence of brain injury...
On average, 300 people die each year in Montana due to traumatic brain injury. The most common causes are suicide, motor vehicle crashes and falls. In Montana, there are over 19,000 individuals who are living with life-long disabilities resulting from Brain Injury.

All info from: http://www.libertyplace.org/educational?gclid=Cj0KCQjw0pfzBRCOARIsANi0g0vuNvubwMaLGDaFEqhuYEBlO1qUVVORK8P5coRXHYIJAfBhjWPgzyoaAkKFEALw_wcB

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