Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Information

DESCRIPTION: A person with an acquired brain injury is the most unique of individuals.  One moment a functioning, integrated, responsive person, they are suddenly transformed by trauma or stroke into a new mix of characteristics.  Some typical causes of ABI are:  auto and motorcycle accidents, fails, sports injuries, strokes, drug use, or violent crime.  The degree of cognitive impairment after a head injury is often not outwardly obvious -many times not becoming apparent until later, in addition to the cognitive deficits in language, memory, perceptual skills, an ABI student may also experience difficulty with sensory motor functions.  Students with acquired brain injury have many characteristics in common with learning disabled students.  When given the opportunity to learn, and when provided with proper support, ABI and LD students are often able to overcome their limitations and succeed in an academic setting.

CHARACTERISTICS:

1. Attention and concentration - distracts easily or fatigues quickly.  Student must improve ability to focus and sustain attention to increase the amount of information processed at a given time.
2. Perceptual distortions - able to see but may have difficulty perceiving depth and/or figure-ground relationships.
3. Speech and language skills (aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia, etc.) - language centers may become disrupted.  New strategies must be learned to enhance the ability to communicate effectively.  Computers can make this task easier.
4. Problem solving - ability to solve problems or organize thoughts may be disrupted. Students must develop new problem solving strategies to become successful.
5. Memory - the ability to remember things quickly and as easily may be disrupted or slowed. Use of compensating strategies (like writing things down -using notebooks) are often recommended to help overcome this deficit.
6. Physical losses - balance, the ability to walk, paralysis/weakness in part of the body, slowed physical functions .... these may all be characteristics of brain injury.  Students must often increase stamina and learn new techniques to be able to return to pre-injury occupations.
7. Emotional changes - emotional reaction to the injury and its effects is often significant for the student and his/her family.  Considerable counseling and family support may be necessary.

MYTHS AND REALITITES:

MYTH:  Students with Acquired Brain Injury will never be able to enjoy any of the activities they did before.

REALITY:  ABI students can regain skills, use compensatory strategies, and focus on their strengths and be successful in their personal lives, and at school and work.

MYTH:  When someone with an ABI is released from the hospital they are "as good as they're gonna get".

REALITY:  Recovery from an ABI is an ongoing process and continues (with hard work) for many years.