Traumatic Brain Injury

What is it?

  • Caused by a blow or jolt to the head, or

  • Penetration by a foreign object

  • Disrupts normal brain function

Mild brain injury:

  • Loss of consciousness shorter than 30 minutes, and/or

  • Confusion and disorientation for less than 30 minutes, and/or

  • MRI and CAT scans look normal, and/or

  • Cognitive problems such as difficulty thinking, memory problems, mood swings

Severe brain injury:

  • Loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes, and/or

  • Memory loss lasting more than 24 hours, and/or

  • Arm and leg function compromised

  • Abnormal speech or language problems

  • Loss of thinking ability or emotional problems

The leading causes of TBI are:

  • Falls (28%)

  • Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%)

  • Struck by/against events (19%)

  • Assaults (11%)

What does it look like?

  • Difficulty remembering, concentrating, making decisions

  • Difficulty organizing, prioritizing, sequencing

  • Slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, reading

  • Getting lost or easily confused

  • Feeling tired all of the time, having no energy, motivation

  • Mood changes (feeling sad or angry for no reason)

  • Light-headedness, dizziness, loss of balance

  • Increased sensitivity to lights, sounds, distractions

  • Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily

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