Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The two age groups at the highest risk for TBI are ages 0-4 and 15-19. Children and teenagers experience the same TBI symptoms as adults but the lasting impact can be far more significant.
A younger person’s brain is still in the developing stages. The long-term effects of TBI may not become apparent until the child gets older and faces higher expectations in learning and social behavior. In addition to cognitive challenges, the child may face physical hurdles as well as TBI can affect motor skills. In adults, the effects of TBI manifest in the months after the initial head injury. However, in children it can take years before the negative effects become clear.
When a child with TBI returns to school, the adjustment can be difficult for the child and the child’s teachers. It is sometimes hard for teachers to adjust to the expectations of a child with TBI because they often compare the child to how he or she was before the TBI. Often times, the parents will want to seek out special education services offered by the school or in the community.
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