The full impact of a childhood brain injury can be difficult to quantify, since a child’s brain and body is still developing. Each developmental stage can be affected by the brain injury. Each stage involves changes to the child’s emotional, cognitive, physical and behavioural state, as he progresses from infant to toddler, from toddler to preschooler, from preschooler to school child and from schoolchild to adolescent. It is often said that a child grows into his brain injury, because it is only as the child becomes older that the full impact of the brain injury is apparent. Change for the brain injured is always difficult and childhood is a period of continual change. Temper tantrums in a toddler are accepted; temper tantrums in an older child or adolescent are unacceptable. The effects of a brain injury can be extensive, often lifelong and can include changes to a child’s cognitive, behavioural, emotional and physical state.
Children with a brain injury present unique challenges for parents, families and educators. It is extremely important for parents and schools to work together with medical and rehabilitation professionals, as the student makes the transition back into the school environment after having sustained a brain injury. As a result of the brain injury, a child may require additional one on one tutoring and/or special education arrangements. It is imperative that teachers be aware of a student in their class who has sustained a brain injury. Often a brain injury is not visible and behaviour can easily become mislabelled by a teacher.
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Welcome to the BrainFit Lab at the University of Toronto, where our goal is to help the brain achieve peak performance following brain injury. To accomplish this we are doing research to better understand recovery from brain injury in children and youth. We invite you to visit our website to find out more information.
Brain Fit Lab – University of Toronto
Just as no two brain injuries are alike; no two family’s experiences are either. The realization of this section is in response to several inquiries. With that said, we are pleased to announce the addition of our newly created section called “Children & Brain Injury”. This section is dedicated to understanding more about children living with an acquired brain injury and the families that care for and support them.
We extend the opportunity to share your story, challenges, difficulties, and where able to; your creative efforts, strategies and/or solutions to help others through various similar circumstances. The sharing of information will not only lend moral support to other families, it may also enlighten educators as well as others more intimately.
Parents traditionally see their children through various stages of life. However, where a brain injury has occurred there are additional challenges with the transition back into their family environment and reintegration back into the community. Assuming the child is relatively young; there will be the on-going need for support through various stages with schooling and through their adolescent years, which as we all know comes with their own unique experiences.
Your Input Matters
We will be rolling out this new section in the next several days. We thank those who asked us to consider the idea and welcome other future content suggestions. Please take a moment to tell us what you think and what else you’d like to see. We are listening, and the above is proof of that.
Sincerely,
Brain Injury Forum
