DCoE Blog

• Food for Thought…About Nutrition, Performance, Resiliency and Recovery

  Posted by DCoE Public Affairs on March 31, 2016

  

  In recognition of National Nutrition Month, Dr. Brian J. Grady, interim director of the National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2) wrote an article looking at the link between nutrition and overall psychological health. Grady shares how nutrition can impact a service member’s performance, resilience and medical recovery. He also shares helpful tools to help service members and their families make wise choices regarding food, including how to eat more mindfully.

  Categories: Resilience, Resources, Psychological Health, prevention   |   Comments (0)

• TBI Diagnosis Helped Save a Family

  Posted by DCoE Public Affairs from the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center on March 30, 2016

  

  In honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we are featuring the stories of people who experienced brain injuries and recovered. In this post from A Head for the Future, Brian O’Rourke didn’t realize he had a brain injury until loved ones persuaded him to get help. A video about O’Rourke’s brain injury experience is available on the A Head for the Future web page.

  Service members, veterans and their families may carry the stress and confusion of living with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) long before it is diagnosed. Often, family members and friends are the first to notice the signs and symptoms of a TBI and urge their loved one to seek help. Retired Navy SEAL Brian O’Rourke spent months in denial, experiencing behavior changes and having trouble sleeping, before his family and friends persuaded him to find the support that led to his TBI diagnosis.

  O’Rourke and his wife, Tammy, share the story of the challenges in their marriage and family life before Brian sought treatment for his symptoms, which included insomnia, irritability and anxiety.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, DCoE Products, DCoE, A Head for the Future   |   Comments (0)

• DCoE Director on Preventing Head Injuries

  Posted by Capt. (Dr.) Mike Colston, DCoE director on March 29, 2016

  

  This story by Capt. Mike Colston, director of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury, is reposted from the Military Health System, where it ran as part of the Motivational Monday series.

  Our military community is active. Not only do the armed forces emphasize fitness, but sports are a personal passion for a lot of us, whether riding a bike or motorcycle, playing on a team or competing in extreme sports.

  We’ve all heard about traumatic brain injuries (TBI) caused by blast events. But, battlefield injuries aren’t the reason for most military TBIs; the most common causes are motor vehicle crashes and falls.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, A Head for the Future, Leadership   |   Comments (0)

• Vision Assessment Important to TBI Care

  Posted by Myron J. Goodman, DCoE Public Affairs on March 28, 2016

  

  Concussion can cause changes to vision that are sometimes overlooked during an initial medical evaluation. Vision experts stress that eye exams should be part of the diagnosis and treatment of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI).

  “Service members exposed to a blast [exposure] may have brain injury, which may affect eye coordination, even when vision is 20/20,” said Felix Barker, associate director of research for the Vision Center of Excellence in Bethesda, Maryland.

  Because a patient’s vision may not be affected at first, and issues such as bumping into objects or having double vision may seem subtle, providers and patients may not realize vision is a problem, he said.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, Treatment   |   Comments (2)

• Improvements in Brain Injury Data Collection

  Posted by DCoE Public Affairs from the Veterans Health Administration on March 25, 2016

  

  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Polytrauma System of Care allows for veterans who have a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to recover and transition with assistive care.

  “I take great pride in the Polytrauma System of Care,” said Linda Picon, VA senior consultant on TBI to the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury. "I have witnessed first-hand the rehabilitation successes of many wounded veterans and service members with TBI and polytrauma. It has been my honor to serve and I can't think of more rewarding work."

  This story by Hans Peterson is reposted from the Veterans Health Administration.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, Treatment   |   Comments (0)

• Veteran Helps Fellow Service Members with Brain Injury Care

  Posted by DCoE Public Affairs from the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center on March 23, 2016

  

  In honor of Brain Injury Awareness Month, we are featuring the stories of people who experienced brain injuries and recovered. In this post from A Head for the Future, Randy Gross sustained numerous brain injuries and learned to take precautions. A video about Gross’ brain injury experience is available from A Head for the Future.

  When he was 23, former Army Staff Sgt. Randy Gross was riding in a Jeep with his friends. The top was down and his seat belt was off.

  “We weren’t going very fast, so I wasn’t that concerned about it,” Gross said.

  But then, the unexpected happened.

  Categories: Traumatic Brain Injury, DCoE Products, DCoE, Resources, A Head for the Future   |   Comments (0)