BRAIN INJURY

WHAT IS BRAIN INJURY?

Cartoon Brain with Lightning Bolts coming out.

Brain injury refers to a sudden change in brain function, which prevents the brain from performing the way it normally does. Many people are surprised to learn that concussions, for example, are brain injuries.

Here, at BrainLove, we work with people who have acquired brain injuries (ABI), which means that the injury to the brain was sustained sometime after birth.

There are two main types of acquired brain injury:

  1. Traumatic:caused by a blow or other type of external impact to the head. Injuries in this category can be caused by hard falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and other collisions.

  2. Non-traumatic: acquired as a result of a health issue within the body, such as a stroke, tumor, infection, or anoxia (when the body is deprived of oxygen).

Brain injuries are irreversible – they do not heal like injuries to the skin or the body. However, we as a community can do our best to prevent brain injuries.

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WHAT CHANGES AFTER YOU ACQUIRE A BRAIN INJURY?

When people sustain brain injuries, their lives are permanently altered.

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COGNITIVE EFFECTS

  • Memory loss

  • Reading difficulties

  • Issues with writing

  • Difficulty with arithmetic

  • Trouble with concentrating

PHYSICAL EFFECTS

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  • Reduced mobility

  • Trouble with coordination

  • Sensory impairment

  • Fatigue and/or Insomnia

  • Chronic seizures

SOCIAL EFFECTS

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  • More dependent on others

  • Difficulties returning to work/school

  • Trouble adapting to changes

  • Stigma attached with the diagnosis

  • Social isolation

The list of effects above is not exhaustive, but it should give you a good idea of some of the challenges survivors face. While some symptoms are more common than others, no two brain injuries are alike. One survivor’s symptoms can differ greatly from another’s, which could be down to the nature of the injury, differences in the individuals’ brains pre-injury, or simply the individuals’ unique personalities.

A Brain Injury Can Happen To Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime

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INFOGRAPHICS

Brain Injury Canada has multiple series of infographics you can use to learn from, educate others, and in advocating on behalf of the brain injury community. These infographics were developed thanks to the support of our honourary patron Dan Andreae.

CONCUSSIONS

BRAIN INJURY

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