Traumatic Brain Injury

Recognizing a TBI
Definitions of Traumatic Brain Injury specify the following:
1. There is an injury to the brain caused by an external force.
2. The injury is not caused by a degenerative or congenital
condition.
3. There is a diminished or altered state of consciousness.
4. Neurological or neurobehavioral dysfunction results from the
injury.

Myths and Misconceptions

The following statements are FALSE:
The degree of impairment correlates with the force of
impact.
A "mild" brain injury will improve quickly.
Children's brains are more adaptable and pliant, therefore
more resilient to the damaging effects of a brain injury.
The younger the child, the more likley they won't suffer from
profound long-term effects.
TBI impairments always show up right away.

Facts:
In the U.S. each year, 1.4 million people sustain a TBI.
50,000 of them die
235,000 are hospitalized
1.1 million are treated and
released from an emergency room
The most common form
of a TBI is a concussion.
Two groups at highest risk:
1.Newborn-4 years
2.15-18 years

Levels of TBI

Mild
Moderate
Severe

Glasglow Coma Scale

Eye opening
Spontaneous = 4
To speech = 3
To painful stimulation = 2
No response = 1
Verbal response
Oriented to person, place, and
date = 5
Converses but is disoriented = 4
Says inappropriate words = 3
Says incomprehensible sounds =
2
No response = 1

Motor response
Follows commands = 6
Makes localizing movements to
pain = 5
Makes withdrawal movements to
pain = 4
Flexor (decorticate) posturing to
pain = 3
Extensor (decerebrate) posturing
to pain = 2
No response = 1
The severity of TBI according to the
GCS score (within 48 h) is as follows:
Severe TBI = 3-8
Moderate TBI = 9-12
Mild TBI = 13-15

MN Eligibility Criteria
1. Medical Documentation
The students file must include:
Documentation by a physician of a medically verified traumatic brain
injury.

2. Functional Impairment
The students file must include documentation of a functional impairment
attributed to the TBI that adversely affects educational performance in at least
one of the following:
intellectual or cognitive
academic
motor
communication
sensory
social, emotional, or behavioral
functional skills or adaptive behavior

Eligibility Criteria Cont..

3. Previously Existing Conditions
Verification that the students impairment is not primarily the result of
any previously existing conditions. Indicate that none of the following
contribute to a previously existing condition:

visual, hearing, or motor impairments

mental retardation
environmental or economic diadvantage
emotional or behavioral disorders
language or specific learning disabilities
cultural differences

Eligibility Cont...
4. Documentation
The student file must include documentation of functional impairment
through at least one of the following:

checklists
classroom or work samples
documented, systematic behavioral observations
educational/medical history
interviews with parent, student, & other knowledgeable individuals

Eligibility Criteria...continued!
5. Documentation
The students file must include documentation of functional impairment based on
at least one of the following:

criterion referenced measures

personality or projective measures
sociometric measures
standardized assessment measures

Leading Causes of TBI's according

to CDC:
Falls
28%
Motor vehicle crashes

20%

Being hit/colliding with an object

19%

Assaults

11%

Others

12%

TBIs and Sports:

Multiple Mild TBI's can lead to more severe stages. Example
Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Wild
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=y8aO6VnZn40&feature=related
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5sLZSMXyo
With the accumulating number of head injuries in sports many
are looking into the science of what goes into a hit and how
damage occurs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=fFkWTGKNLT8&feature=fvst

Regarding educational
performance, a TBI may alter:

cognition
memory
language
attention
reasoning
abstract thinking
judgment
problem solving

sensory or
perceptual and
motor disabilities
psychosocial
behavior
physical functions
information
processing
speech

Difficulties

It is often "invisible"

People with TBIs in many cases look like everyone else

"If Alan were in a wheelchair or had a cast on his leg, people

would understand that something happened...no one can see a
broken brain."

Difficulties Cont.
People often overlook those with concussions or TBI's
believing they are only minor. Without knowing that the damage
done is actually quite extensive its just the signs haven't shown
up or are overlooked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oY19-JI648Q
The area effected also changes the treatment method for TBI's
The level of severity also is a factor for TBI's in that each has a
different treatment and is met with different cautionary
techniques.

PersonalExperiences/Stori
es

Curt

Travis
Christina
Others

Group Activity- Curt

Resources for Teachers

General Resources:
TBIED.org
Braininjuryguide.org
Quizzes to help improve memory:
http://www.braininjuryguide.org/quizzes/quizinstructions.html
Tools and resources for educators:
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=3_B1YJ9EpG0&feature=channel
Early injury later in the classroom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeCK_QXqcW8&feature=channel
Transition to Adult Life
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XUUyvie6BQ&feature=channel

Sources
http://www.tbirecoverycenter.org/consequences.htm
http://education.state.mn.us/MDE/Learning_Support/Special_Education/Categorical_
Disability_Information/Traumatic_Brain_Injury/001752
http://education.state.mn.us/mdeprod/groups/Compliance/documents/Form/000845.pdf
https://www.braintrauma.org/tbi-faqs/
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/lossofnamelessthings/tbi.html
Exceptional Learners: An Introduction to Special Education by Hallahan, Kauffman, &
Pullen
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5sLZSMXyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8aO6VnZn40&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fFkWTGKNLT8&feature=fvst