The diagnosis of a severe brain injury or traumatic brain injury (TBI) is made by a team of medical professionals. A person who has had a lapse of memory after an injury and has experienced a loss of consciousness that lasted for more than 6 hours has a severe TBI (Traumatic). An interdisciplinary team often decides on the course of treatment; the team may include social workers, physical therapists, speech therapists, doctors, and nurses (Traumatic). The three leading causes of TBI are falling, car accident, or firearms. Additionally, young adults and the elderly at higher risk of sustaining a TBI than other age groups (Traumatic).
After being hit by a drunk driver, Aiden’s family will face a variety of complications as Aiden recovers. Aiden may suffer a prolonged or permanent change in awareness or consciousness (“Diseases and Conditions”). Patients who have suffered a TBI may have limited function of their legs or arms. They may also experience abnormal language or speech and have emotional problems. Every brain injury is different, and the recovery from TBI is different for each patient. Currently, there is no cure for TBI.
The type and severity of the brain injury determine the treatment patients receive. Treatment for TBI begins when the patient arrives at the hospital. The patient's vital signs are monitored and, if necessary, surgery is performed. Once stabilized, patients are moved to a trauma care unit. Nurses and doctors will monitor the patient for any signs of pain or infection (Traumatic). A social worker and/or psychologist may be brought in to help prepare the family for the emotional and physical challenges ahead. After being discharged from the hospital, most TBI patients move to a rehabilitation center. The goals for the rehab center are to help restore any lost functional abilities and to help prevent secondary complication such as pressure sores or pneumonia (Traumatic). At the rehabilitation center, Aiden will receive physical and occupational therapy. A psychologist will help Aiden and his family understand the extent of his injuries.
During his recovery, Aiden may experience physical problems such as headaches, seizures, paralysis, and vomiting. Individuals with TBI often have balance and coordination problems and experience a reduction in muscle strength (“TBI”). According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Aiden may have difficulty expressing or experiencing emotions after his accident. Patients with TBI are often moody, impulsive, and irrational. Additionally, patients may also become depressed or suffer from stress or anxiety disorders. Aiden’s cognitive abilities will be impacted as well. He may seem disorganized and may unable to solve problems. Aiden’s long-term memory most likely will not be affected, but learning new things is going to be difficult (“TBI”). Communicating with Aiden will be a challenge for his family as well, he may have slurred speech or have trouble understanding words spoken to him. Finally, reading, writing, and spelling will be more challenging after a TBI.
Johnson explained that predicting the outcome of a brain injury is complicated. Some reasons for this are that CT’s and MRI’s don’t give any indications of how serious a brain injury is. Every patient is different. Academic skills can sometimes be a predictor of how well a person may recover, but not always. According to Johnson, an individual who has abused alcohol or drugs for a long time may have a more difficult time recovering. The bottom line is no one knows when or if a patient who suffered a TBI will recover. One thing is certain; patients will not be the same as they were before the accident.
Suffering a TBI is devastating. If the patient regains consciousness, they have a long road to recovery. A strong family support system, therapy, and persistence are the keys to regaining independence. Johnson compared recovery to running a marathon, without any training. Recovery is a slow uphill battle.
Works Cited
“Diseases and Conditions: Traumatic Brain Injury.” Mayo Clinic.org. n.d. Web.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-
injury/basics/complications/con-20029302. Accessed 6 Sept. 2016.
Johnson, Glen. “When Will I Get Better?” Traumatic Brain Injury Survival Guide,
http://www.tbiguide.com/getbetter.html. Accessed 6 Sept. 2016.
“Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. n.d. Web.
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/TBI/ Accessed 6 Sept 2016.
Traumatic Brain Injury.com, Traumatic Brain Injury.com, LLC. n.d. Web.
http://www.traumaticbraininjury.com/. Accessed 6 Sept. 2016.
