Recognizing ABI

An acquired brain injury can have many effects, and they are different for each person.  These may include body movement and balance, communication, though processes like planning and memory, behaviour, and emotional difficulties.  The exact nature of the difficulties for each person is unique and will depend on how and where the brain was injured, as well as age and personal characteristics.

Causes:

  • Sports accidents
  • Motor Vehicle Collisions
  • Anoxia/Hypoxia
  • Falls
  • Stroke & Aneurysm (Only individuals under the age of 65 will be eligible for services.)
  • Physical abuse
  • Substance Abuse

People with ABI/TBI have trouble with:

  • Behaviour
  • Mood
  • Cognition
  • Physical symptoms

Cognitive

  • Memory loss or impairment
  • Impaired attention to task/inability to multi-task
  • Language/cognitive deficits-expressive, comprehension, word selection

Perceptual

  • Altered sense of balance/equilibrium
  • Disorientation—sense of time and space
  • Sensory changes

Physical

  • Consistent mental or physical fatigue, sleep disorders
  • Movement disorders—paralysis, ataxia, spasticity, gait and/or small movement
  • Seizure activity

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