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Illness & Disability
Traumatic brain injury
A traumatic brain injury or TBI happens when someone’s head is suddenly hit or shaken really hard, such as during a car accident, a fall on the playground or an accident while skiing. TBI does not include brain injuries that happen before someone is born or during birth. This injury can change how someone acts, moves, thinks and learns.
Over one million kids get brain injuries each year. Among teens, motorcycle accidents are the leading cause of TBIs. Violent crimes such as shootings also cause many of these injuries.
Many people with TBIs have to cope with different disabilities. Some of the problems TBI can cause are:
- Problems speaking, seeing, and hearing
- Headaches and being tired a lot
- Muscle problems that can making writing hard
- Seizures
- Paralysis or the inability to move on one or both sides of the body
- Trouble remembering things
- Problems paying attention
- Trouble reading and writing
- Problems understanding the order in which events happen
- Depression
- Touble controlling feelings, so there may be a lot more laughing or crying
If you have a TBI, that doesn’t mean you will have all of these issues. Each person with a TBI is different. It depends on how bad the injury is, what part of the brain is hurt, and how well the recovery goes. For young people, other parts of the brain may be able to learn the job of the damaged part of the brain. This means you could be able to improve much better than an adult could!
If your injury is bad, you may have to stay in the hospital for a while and then go through rehabilitation for a long time. During all of this, your recovery team will likely include more than just doctors and nurses. Your team may include a physical therapist, occupational therapist, counselor, and special education teachers when you are ready to go back to school.
Going back to school
After a TBI, you may feel different and also may need different things from the people around you. You may need your friends to walk slower, or you may need them to remind you about plans you make. Your parents and the school may need to make an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for you, which means your classes will be set up to help you learn in a way that is better for you. If you need extra time for a test, or if you need help getting around, your IEP will make sure that you get what you need. Remember that it is okay to tell your parents, teachers, and friends how you feel and what they can do to help you.
Read more about IEPs.
Get more information about brain injuries for teens.
Content last updated June 2, 2007
