Traumatic Brain Injury Essay

The impact of TBI depends on the severity of the injury. TBI can significantly affect the quality of a child’s life, effects such as thinking impairment, poor decision making, poor reasoning, emotional challenges, anxiety, and depression and in some instances epilepsy. According to the data from the CDC report 2015, over 1 million children with TBI have been in an emergency state. Thousands of them have been hospitalized while others have died. Analysts say that there are more figures of these numbers in reality and that the numbers are mere underestimates. In some children, persistent symptoms may occur, and they can last for months or even years. There may be long-term effects on the brain of the child, depending on the extent of injury the head was subjected to e.

g the number of hits. The quality and frequency of medical attention a child receives is also a determining factor. Advancements in preventive measures such as the use of helmets and improved critical care have significantly reduced the number of deaths caused by the TBI (Koehler, Rebecca, Erin, Wilhelm, and Shoulson, 2011). Blunt TBI happens when an external force causes some movement of the skull. Major causes of the blunt TBI are car crashes, being struck by some object or falling. The third form of brain injury, the blast injury may be due to explosions, requires detailed studies to identify the causes of brain injury. There are instances which can cause both open and blunt TBI to occur. Most common examples of these accidents include catastrophes and explosions.

This white matter is made up of axons which connects various brain parts. The injury is caused by excess stretch from maybe a shearing force. Because of the stretch, the axons might tear or stretch excessively. This type of injury commonly occurs when a child falls, auto accidents or excessive rotational forces. Sudden deceleration can also cause diffuse axonal injury. • Hematomas – hematomas happens when a brain injury occurs and some bleeding happens in the brain. It happens when the blood vessels in the brain get injured. Due to the damage to the blood vessels, severe bleeding may occur in the brain. Hematomas manifests in more than one form depending on the nature of bleeding. For instance, if the blood flow happens in the brain itself, it is called intracerebral hematoma.

Blunt trauma has affected most of the children below 15 years with TBI. The third leading cause of TBI among children in auto accidents. Assaults on children also explain about 10% of the TBIs in children. Head injuries caused by shaken head injuries and abuse related brain injuries also falls under the blunt trauma. Unintentional blunt trauma in children, for example, happens when the children are playing, and this is also a major cause of the brain injuries. The injuries that grow worse quickly must be given urgent attention. In fact, all TBIs requires professional to assess them immediately. The diagnosis happens through a neurological exam through assessing sensory and motor skills of the child. The diagnosis may also require the assessment of some cranial nerves.

Other important tests for the diagnosis include hearing tests, speech tests, mental status, the general body balance and coordination and changes in the child’s mood. It will be noted that most of the severe brain injuries develop from the secondary injuries. These injuries manifest after days or even months. That is why children who access immediate medical assessment and treatment always experience good health outcomes. Children with mild TBI are treated through brain tests. Example of these treatments over-the-counter headache treatment through issue and administering of painkillers. The children must book sessions with the doctors to conduct follow up assessments and they must report any new or persistent symptoms. The patients might require nutritional supplements to suppress the effects of dietary deficiencies that might manifest in the long run (Koehler, Rebecca, Erin, Wilhelm, and Shoulson, 2011).