What’s acquired brain injury?

Heard the term acquired brain injury or ABI but don’t quite know what it means? If so read on…

According to draft NHS Figures around 40,000 children sustain an acquired brain injury (ABI) every year as a result of an accident or illness.

Just as each child is unique, so is the way they respond to a brain injury. Whilst there are two main types of brain injury: ‘traumatic’ caused by a blow to the head such as a road traffic accident or fall, and ‘non traumatic’ caused by illness such as meningitis, a brain tumour or stroke, there is an enormous range of difficulties a child might face – from minor problems with memory, or speech to serious, long-term, physical and learning disabilities.

Some children on the outside may appear ‘normal’ having made a full physical recovery but they can have considerable difficulties with cognitive, communication, emotional and behavioural skills. Some of the effects may not be noticeable until years after the injury was sustained as the brain continues to develop into early adulthood. It is because the changes and difficulties surrounding ABI are hard to spot that it is sometimes called ‘the hidden disability’.

Difficulties experienced by a child after an ABI vary and depend on: their age when they sustained their injury, the area of the brain that has been damaged, and the severity of the injury. As different areas of the brain work together, if one part is damaged, it is likely to affect the function of other parts of the brain too.

Unfortunately there is no single ‘cure’ or treatment for ABI, and some children will never fully return to the way they were before their injury. Progress may also not always be rapid. But there are opportunities for children to get back some of the skills they’ve lost, through different therapies and support, and that’s where The Children’s Trust can help. The Children's Trust is the UK’s leading charity for children with acquired brain injury, multiple disabilities and complex health needs. Based in Tadworth, Surrey, the Trust’s services include brain injury rehabilitation and community-based support, working with hundreds of children and young people from across the UK.

If you would like to find out more about The Children’s Trust visit www.thechildrenstrust.org.uk If you’d like to know more about brain injury please visit the Brain Injury Hub, The Children’s Trust’s information website www.braininjuryhub.co.uk.

- written by Michelle Baillie

 All writing and photos accredited to The Children's Trust, Tadworth. Not for reduplication.