Traumatic Brain Injury TBI

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
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Definitions

• A disability is a condition caused by accident,
  trauma, genetics or disease which may limit a
  persons mobility, hearing, vision, speech or
  mental function. Some people have one or more
  disabilities.
• A handicap is a physical or attitudinal
  constraint that is imposed upon a person,
  regardless of whether that person has a
  disability. Websters Ninth New Colliegate
  Dictionary defines handicap as to put to a
  disadvantage.

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What Traumatic Brain Injury Is

• Our nations special education law, the
  Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  defines a TBI as
• an acquired injury to the brain caused by an
  external force, resulting in total or partial
  functional disability or psychosocial impairment
  or both, that adversely affects a childs
  educational performance. The term applies to
  open or closed head injuries resulting in
  impairments in one or more areas such as
  cognition language memory attention
  reasoning abstract thinking judgement
  problem-solving sensory, perceptual, and motor
  abilities psycho-social behavior physical
  function information processing and speech.
  The term does not apply to brain injuries that
  are congenital or degenerative, or to brain
  injuries induced by birth trauma. 34 Code of
  Federal Regulations 300.7 (c) (12)

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The Cost And Reality of TBI

• The direct and indirect costs of traumatic brain
  injury in the U.S. have been estimated to be
  48.3 Billion annually. Survivor costs account
  for 31.7 Billion and fatal brain injuries cost
  another 16.6 Billion (1991 dollars)
• The lifetime cost for one person surviving a
  severe TBI can reach 4 Million
• Medical costs are the highest for those who do
  not survive (an average of 454, 717 per brain
  injury fatality)

• Although the largest group of TBI survivors are
  young adults in their prime working years, many
  survivors, particularly those with a severe TBI,
  do not return to work. The ability to return to
  work is highly correlated to the post-acute
  functional limitations of the survivor.
• Survivors of a severe brain injury are likely to
  experience anxiety and depression, and are at
  high risk for loss of friendships and social
  support.
• Researchers have found that persons who suffer a
  severe TBI continue to make gradual improvements
  in functioning for at least 10 years post-injury
• Brain injuries kill more Americans under the age
  34 than all other diseases combined

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The Side Effects Of TBI

• Survivors of a severe brain injury are likely to
  experience prolonged anxiety and depression, and
  are at a high risk for loss of friendships and
  social support
• Reading old skills return new skills may be
  learned more slowly comprehension deficits may
  persist
• Arithmetic delays may persist
• Students who have ABI may have problems in the
  following areas
• Cognitive
• Physical
• Emotional
• Environmental

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How Life Changes For Us

• Issues have not been addressed with other
  disabilities come up
• Identification, classification, placement,
  and delivery
• services, the planning process is likely to
  become
• bogged down with issues not addressed before
• May lose any friends we may have had
• Will have short-term/long-term memory problems
• Need help in managing money, doing household
  chores, and sometimes bathing and dressing

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Differences between Acquired Brain Injuries and
Learning Disabilities

• ABI can have an academic profile which changes
  frequently as recovery occurs over time
  necessitating ongoing program changes. This
  invalidates a rigidly sequential curricula for
  most ABI.
• There is unpredictable progress for months and
  years after the injury, based on the neurologic
  recovery. Therefore, the pattern of academic
  functioning over time may be quite different than
  most LD.
• Assuming there was pre-traumatic mastery of a
  process or concept, ABI often require some
  material rapidly despite significant processing
  and learning problems acquired after the injury.
  The curricular emphasis for LD is thus
  inappropriate for ABI

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My Life Prior To 11/22/97

• Honor Roll Student
• School Activities Was Involved In
• College Plans
• Plans For My Future

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Pictures Prior To 11/22/97
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Pictures After 11/22/97
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Pictures Of My Life Now
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What Someone Can Do To Help

• Have adequate communication between
  rehabilitation professionals, educators, parents,
  and vocational specialists
• Readiness and capabilities to serve the student
  by the school
• The family and the school having shared
  expectations for the return to school or
  vocational placement

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Organizations, Communities That Are For Survivors

• A TBIs Corner www.angelfire.com/ok5/survivorok/in
  dex2.html
• TBI Raiders Volunteer Service www.angelfire.com/ok
  5/tbiraidersok/index.html
• www.tbiknowledge.com
• www.tbichat.org
• TBI Raiders Message Board http//tbiraiders.proboa
  rds30.com/index.cgi

• BIA-OK www.biaok.org
• BIA-USA www.biausa.org
• BIA-TX www.biatx.org

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Some Programs That Were Created To Help
Individuals With A TBI

• Tennessee Department of Health Traumatic Brain
  Injury Program
• Oklahoma Office of Handicapped Concerns
• Brain Injury Association of America
• Association of Higher Education And Disabilities
• TBI Raiders Volunteer Service