Definition: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
defines Traumatic Brain Injury as “an acquired injury to the brain caused by an
external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or
psychosocial impairment, or both, that adversely affects a child's educational
performance. Traumatic brain injury applies to open or closed head injuries
resulting in impairments in one or more areas, such as cognition; language;
memory; attention; reasoning; abstract thinking; judgment; problem-solving;
sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities; psychosocial behavior; physical
functions; information processing; and speech. Traumatic brain injury does not
apply to brain injuries that are congenital or degenerative, or to brain
injuries induced by birth trauma.
Causes: Some of the major
causes of brain injury include Brain hypoxia and ischemia may result from
traumatic brain injury, circulatory problems such as cerebral vessel spasm or stroke, and
lack of oxygenation that may occur during cardiopulmonary
arrest. Lack of adequate oxygen
to the brain causes cell death that can be localized or widespread. The extent
of brain cell death influences the degree of neurological impairment and
disability. Trauma, lack of oxygen, lack of blood flow (ischemia), infection
and metabolic disorders. Liver failure, low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), kidney
failure, and toxic exposure to such substances as alcohol, drugs, sedatives,
poisons, and some heavy metals. In general, brain injury associated with
metabolic disorders is widespread throughout the entire brain.
Common Associated
Characteristics:
· Onset: Sudden
· Cause: One or more blows to the
head accompanied by altered mental status, including loss of consciousness
· Functional Changes: Marked contrast between pre- and
post-onset capacities: memory loss, reduced processing speed, impaired
executive functions
· Physical Disabilities: May include loss of balance, weakness,
paralysis, visual/ sensory changes, headaches
· Emotional Difficulties: Labile mood, depression and anxiety
frequently found
· Behavioral Difficulties: Unpredictable: possible agitation,
aggressiveness, restlessness, impulsivity
· Awareness of Deficits: Limited-to-full awareness
· Skills and Knowledge: Pre-TBI learning is largely intact
· Difficulties with Learning: Old information is easier to recall than
new
· Peer Interactions: Affected by cognitive deficits,
behavioral difficulties, reduced social skills
Suggested Teaching Strategies: (from
nichy.org)
·
Find
out as much as you can about the child’s injury and his or her present needs.
·
Find
out more about TBI through the resources and organizations listed below. These
can help you identify specific techniques and strategies to support the student
educationally.
·
Give
the student more time to finish schoolwork and tests.
·
Give
directions one step at a time. For tasks with many steps, it helps to give the
student written directions.
·
Show
the student how to perform new tasks. Give examples to go with new ideas and
concepts.
·
Have
consistent routines. This helps the student know what to expect. If the routine
is going to change, let the student know ahead of time.
·
Check
to make sure that the student has actually learned the new skill. Give the
student lots of opportunities to practice the new skill.
·
Show
the student how to use an assignment book and a daily schedule. This helps the
student get organized.
·
Realize
that the student may get tired quickly. Let the student rest as needed.
·
Reduce
distractions.
·
Keep
in touch with the student’s parents. Share information about how the student is
doing at home and at school.
·
Be
flexible about expectations. Be patient. Maximize the student’s chances for
success.
·
It's
important to remember that a student who has suffered TBI will have different
educational needs than before their injury. Because of the sudden and traumatic
nature of their injury, there are emotional and social changes to
consider. There must be careful
evaluation and planning to address the student's needs in their IEP.
Additional Resources:
The National
Dissemination Center for Children With Disabilities, this is a comprehensive
website for all disabilities. For
TBI, there is information about symptoms, statistics, and help for parents and
teachers.
This website is
for Brain Injury Association of America.
This is very useful with resources for families and caregivers,
diagnosis and treatment, advocacy and more.
The Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention discusses different types of TBI, statistics,
causes and risk groups, prevention, and long-term outcomes.
National
Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke gives information about
diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and organizations that can help.
This PDF is a great resource for getting
information about how TBI occur, the effects that are seen in the patients, and
what teachers can do to make a child with a TBI more comfortable in the
classroom and able to learn.
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