Brain Injury Society was created to offer a quick response service to all brain injured (whether acquired or traumatic, recovered and recovering) individuals. Acquired and traumatic brain injury have overlapping symptoms yet are very distinct from each other. Acquired brain injury is an internal disorder caused by neuro-organic malfunctions. Traumatic brain injuries are externally caused, as in care accidents, sports injuries and physical assaults.
Brain Injury Society will assist the families in understanding their physician’s diagnosis and recommended treatment for all brain injured patients. Alternative courses and latest advances will be brought into what is often a split second decision making process. Often there is no time for families to research a second opinion. The parents of mild to the severely brain-injured child (whatever the age) must know about viable surgical options and/or alternatives.
Brain Injury Society satisfies a void which has been recognized for years. There are no alternatives. The idea has been embraced by the medical community and has been given its overwhelming support. Brain Injury Society services include information on all phases of patient after care.
QUESTIONS MOST OFTEN ASKED
What is Acquired Brain Injury?
An internal disturbance of the brain by physiological changes such as a anoxia, a growth, certain diseases aneurysm and/or removal of a portion of the brain.
What is Traumatic Brain Injury?
An insult to the brain caused by preventable or unavoidable rapid external movements causing deceleration and acceleration.
What are causes of Traumatic Brain Injury?
Many stem from accidents and assaults. Accidents that cause traumatic brain injury are motor vehicle incidents, bullet wounds, physical assaults such as battery, physical battering, shaken baby syndrome, domestic violence, falls, sports and recreational injuries. Consequences may include; cognitive, speech, hearing, taste, smell, balance (vestibular), vision, physical mobility dysfunctions, and psychosocial, behavioral and emotional impairments.
How can a family cope?
Through a correct rehabilitation therapy program, patience and understanding.
What rehabilitations are available to the Traumatic Brain Injured Individual?
Many New York City and Downstate hospitals offer ABI and TBI programs, which are covered by most insurance plans. The brain injury program includes: psychological, cognitive, physical, vestibular, vision, vocational, speech, occupational, recreational, music therapies and support groups for the recovering brain injured individual and their families.
BACKGROUND ON ACQUIRED AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY
Each year in New York City and Downstate New York approximately 62,000 people are affected with acquired and traumatic brain injuries. Acquired and traumatic brain injury often times manifest similar symptoms, but they are very distinct from each other, in terms of treatment and prognosis. Acquired brain injury (ABI) is an internal disorder caused by neuro-organic malfunctions; e.g.; strokes. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is externally caused, as in car accidents, sports injuries and physical assaults. At the onset of ABI or TBI, a person is overwhelmed with an inability to cope with life. There is always an area of dysfunction that must be overcome, however, the strategy to do so must be learned. A significant ABI or TBI number of these individuals will no longer have the ability to function in the real world again. Brain injuries last throughout life. The physiological problem of acquired and traumatic brain injury impinges upon the entire person. Generally misunderstood, these symptoms include: impaired physical coordination; visual and spatial impairment; short-term memory loss; cognitive dysfunction; inability to learn new things or remember old tasks. Daily activities such as remembering an address or phone number can be unreliable in recall. Crowds of people or sudden loud noises can cause confusion and loss of equilibrium. Even though acquired and traumatic brain injuries are lifetime disabilities, timely and correct treatment, have been proven to produce compensatory skills for the affected areas. Without such treatment the ability to function in life is often needlessly impaired. There are proven and effective remedies to assist the acquired and traumatic brain injured individual. The goal is to return to a better and productive life by using the “new” abilities of the “new” person with realistic goals in place. People have difficulties accessing information necessary to help themselves or their families face the problems associated with these injuries. The need for a referral service has long been identified but has never been realized until now.
THE PROBLEMS
Misdiagnosis
These approximately 62,000 cases do not take into account those individuals who are diagnosed incorrectly. This second category includes the effects of long-term misdiagnosis or undiagnosed traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries always assault the physiological and psychological senses. When there is a misdiagnosis the situation is compounded causing needless intense suffering. Therefore, patients either, cannot function to their expected capacity in their jobs or have had their family lives disrupted or destroyed. Plus, there are those with genetic disorders such as epilepsy who endure a traumatic brain injury from a seizure, or persons with Down Syndrome who sustain a traumatic brain injury from an automobile accident, which compounds their problems.
Lack of Coverage
Insurance coverage has been drastically cut for this type of injury. Cognitive remediation, vestibular therapy, speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, vision therapy, psychosocial therapy, vocational therapy and psychotherapy are needed on a regular basis. It is not unusual for the initial treatment to require patient visits of two to three times a week, to be followed by monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and then annual visits in order to encourage the acquired and traumatic brain injured person to their highest “level of functionality.” In this way, the learned strategies are reinforced and new problems are addressed, as they arise, can then be handled. Insurance companies are not dealing with ABI and TBI as long term or permanent disability with must be monitored. The population afflicted with acquired and traumatic brain injuries negatively impacts on the economy. The loss of revenues from diminished employee productivity is substantial and represents billions of dollars each year. Many employers and co-workers cannot comprehend the recovery process or the impact that a brain injury makes. They will sometimes choose to not utilize their own corporate flexibility to create noncompetitive programs and instead dismiss the individual as lazy and unproductive. They also do not push insurance companies to provide necessary services.
Keeping Up With New Information
Patients and their families must be kept abreast of new information, as it becomes available through networking. Affiliations with acquired and traumatic brain injured people must be encouraged to develop new and better strategies. It is essential to keep the brain-injured person connected to treatment. Regression is stemmed by keeping the strategies learned in place and by nurturing the recovering patient to develop and restore more skills that are complex. No one can do this alone.