Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury

Definition

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex injury with a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities. The impact on a person and his or her family can be devastating. The purpose of this site is to educate and empower caregivers and survivors of traumatic brain injuries. This site aims to ease the transition from shock and despair at the time of a brain injury to coping and problem solving.

Many children with TBI will exhibit characteristics of learning and or behavioral disabilities. Some areas of difficulty may include all or some of the following items:

• Difficulty with logic, thinking and reasoning
• Slower to respond, react and complete activities and tasks
• Difficulty focusing attention
• Physical limitations
• Inappropriate social behaviors
• Difficulty remembering
• Frequently puzzled or challenged by grade level work
• Difficulty learning
• It is believe that TBI has a profound effect on new learning even though previous learning may remain in tact
• Never underestimate the potential for growth and development
• Some TBI children will have speech and language deficits

Strategies

· Become informed, work with the parents to understand as much as you can about the child

· Exercise patience and lower your expectations

· Set the student up for success

· Repeat instructions, directions as needed and provide one direction at a time

· Allow the student more time to complete tasks and reduce the workload if needed

· Activities/tasks requiring the student to concentrate for long periods of time should be avoided

· It's important to remember that the student takes a longer amount of time to process information

· Be sure to have consistent routines and rules

· Keep distractions to a minimum

· Remember to assess this student with an approach that will meet his/her needs - i.e., additional time, more observation etc.

· Make sure the IEP is in place and that it is flexible - a working document.

· Each child with TBI is unique in needs.

· The child may require a modified schedule and or a behavioral plan

· The child may need direct support in organizational strategies

Accommodations/Modifications

Modifications? Accommodations or Interventions? Here's a checklist of strategies to help you with the inclusional classroom which will assist in meeting the needs of all students.

___ Special needs students are within close proximity to the teacher or the teacher's assistant.

___ I have procedures that are well understood by students to keep noise levels at an acceptable level. The Yacker Tracker is a worthwhile investment.

___ I have a special carrel or private location for test-taking and or seatwork for those requiring 'free of distractions' to enable success.

___ I have eliminated as much clutter as I can and keep distractions to a minimum.

___ I never present instructions/directions orally alone. I always provide graphic organizers, written or graphical instructions also.

___ Clarifications and reminders are given regularly as needed.

___ Needy students have agendas which I regularly have them, and myself refer to. Home/school communication is in place for those students requiring it.

___ Work is organized into workable 'chunks'.

___ My classroom expectations are clearly understood as are my consequences for inappropriate behaviors.

___ Extra assistance is provided when needed through a peer or myself.

___ Praise for 'catching them doing it right' occurs regularly.

___ Use of behavior contracts to target specific behaviors is in place.

___ My students are aware of my cueing and prompting system which helps them stay on task.

___ I never begin instructions/directions until I have my classe's undivided attention.

___ I allow additional 'wait' time for my special needs students.

___ I provide my special needs students with regular, ongoing feedback and always promote their self-esteem.

___ Do all of your learning experiences promote learning?

___ Do you provide activities that are multi-sensory and take into consideration learning styles?

___ Do you let your special needs students repeat instructions/directions?

___ Do you modify and or shorten assignments to ensure success?

___ Do you have methods to enable the student to have text written to him/her and can they dictate their answers?

___ Do you provide opportunities for cooperative learning? Working together in groups often helps to clarify misconceptions for learning delayed students.

Technology Resources

Assistive technology can come in many different forms, ranging from simple, homemade devices like indoor ramps to complex electronic equipment like voice recognition programs. Some of the most popular types of assistive technology for TBI include:

• Braille readers and embossers
• computer-related equipment and programs, including screen readers (that read aloud the words on a computer screen) and personalized keyboards
• motorized wheelchairs
• sip-and-puff systems, devices a TBI patient can control through inhalations and exhalations
• vision aides, including glasses, contacts and special computer monitors

Environmental Resources

The most important thing to keep in mind when dealing with someone with TBI is to have an environment that is consistent and non-confusing. Repetition is a vital too in the formation of a safe and consistent environment.