Blog
Children and Traumatic Brain Injury
Spring is officially here! As the snow melts (finally!) it’s time to break out the bicycles, scooters, skateboards and rollerblades. Outdoor activities are a fun way to get kids moving and socialize, but if proper safety precautions are not taken, sports such as these can cause Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). A TBI can be devastating, and can cause concussions or even comas, often resulting in deficits in a child’s memory, cognition, speech, language and feeding skills.
Possible Effects of TBI:
- Loss of short term memory
- Loss of sight or the ability to recognize objects
- Loss of gross motor skills (walking, throwing)
- Loss of fine motor skills (writing, holding a fork)
- Loss of oral motor skills (skills needed for eating, articulation)
- Loss of taste and smell
- Loss of emotions
- Inappropriate behavior
- Increased anger and frustration
- Depression
- Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)
- Aphasia (word finding difficulty or difficulty expressing ideas through spoken language)
- Dysarthria (reduced muscle tone in oral musculature)
Tips to Staying Safe:
- ALWAYS wear a helmet that fits properly. Protect your brain!
- Check your equipment—Are the tires inflated? Do the brakes work?
- Make sure you and your child can be seen. Wear bright colors and avoid riding in the street once the sun goes down.
- Be aware of any large potholes or obstructions on the road.
- Obey all traffic laws and ride with the flow of traffic, not against it.
- Be alert! Warn your children if there is a car approaching and ride closer to the side of the road.
Have a fun and safe spring, everyone! 🙂
Nicole C.
