Condition
Acquired Brain (incl. Traumatic) Injury
Acquired brain injury (ABI) in children and young people refers to brain insults acquired after the first year of life, including traumatic and non-traumatic injuries like stroke, tumours, and encephalitis.
Severe ABIs lead to physical, cognitive, and social-emotional impairments, limiting daily activities and overall well-being.
Early rehabilitation by a multidisciplinary team is vital to address ABI’s complex effects. Rehabilitation focuses on both recovery and compensation for impairments, facilitating functional ability and health amidst ongoing development. Neural plasticity, the brain’s ability to adapt to stimuli, underpins rehabilitation efforts by facilitating brain relearning.
Rehabilitation may help
- Improve your ability to function at home and in your community.
- Help treat the mental and physical problems caused by TBI.
- Provide social and emotional support.
- Help you adapt to changes as they occur during your recovery.
Rehabilitation can also help prevent complications of ABI, such as
- Blood clots
- Pain
- Pressure ulcers, also called bedsores.
- Breathing problems and pneumonia
- A drop in blood pressure when you move around.
- Muscle weakness and muscle spasm
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Reproductive and sexual function problems
The individual program may include any or all of these treatments
- Physical therapy
- Physical medicine
- Occupational therapy
- Psychiatric care
- Psychological care
- Speech and language therapy
- Social support
The care team will assess needs and abilities. This assessment may include
- Bowel and bladder control
- Speech ability
- Swallowing ability
- Strength and coordination
- Ability to understand language.
- Mental and behavioural state
- Social support needs
Rehabilitation may help
- Improve your ability to function at home and in your community.
- Help treat the mental and physical problems caused by TBI.
- Provide social and emotional support.
- Help you adapt to changes as they occur during your recovery.
Rehabilitation can also help prevent complications of ABI, such as
- Blood clots
- Pain
- Pressure ulcers, also called bedsores.
- Breathing problems and pneumonia
- A drop in blood pressure when you move around.
- Muscle weakness and muscle spasm
- Bowel and bladder problems
- Reproductive and sexual function problems
The individual program may include any or all of these treatments
- Physical therapy
- Physical medicine
- Occupational therapy
- Psychiatric care
- Psychological care
- Speech and language therapy
- Social support
The care team will assess needs and abilities. This assessment may include
- Bowel and bladder control
- Speech ability
- Swallowing ability
- Strength and coordination
- Ability to understand language.
- Mental and behavioural state
- Social support needs