Traumatic Brain Injury in Children
There are many infants and young children who suffer from Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI. Children are active and participate in riding bikes, swimming, riding in cars and all types of sports which can result in a head injury. Even a slight head injury can affect a child’s speech, memory and cognitive skills.
If a child suffers from TBI the following deficits can result:
- Loss of smell and taste.
- Loss of sight or the ability to recognize objects by sight.
- Loss of short term memory.
- Loss of the ability or sensations needed to execute gross-motor movements such as reaching for objects or walking.
- Loss or oral-motor skills such as eating, blowing, kissing or articulation of speech sounds.
- Loss of fine-motor skills such as holding eating utensils, dressing skills, or completing a puzzle.
- Lack of muscle tone in the facial area, lips and tongue, known as dysarthria.
- Swallowing difficulties known as dysphagia.
- Word finding problems and/or loss of the ability to verbally express ideas known as aphasia.
- Loss of emotions, constant frustration and/or anger or inappropriate reactions and behaviors.
Children who suffer a TBI often receive rehabilitation services including speech, occupational and physical therapies. Problems can continue for months after the TBI. In some instances children may need extended and intensive rehabilitation services in residential or private placements.
If your child has suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury this information should be shared with the school and caretakers. Your child’s therapists can provide valuable information regarding techniques to facilitate behavior and learning.
For more information on the TBI subject.
Please Read:
- Traumatic Brain Injury in Children and Adolescents: Assessment and Intervention
- One Step at a Time
- Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation: Children and Adolescents Second Edition
- Pediatric Brain Injury: The Special Case of the Very Young Child
- Acquired Brain Injury in Childhood and Adolescence: A Team and Family Guide to Educational Program Development and Implementation
- Closed head injury in children and adults
- Traumatic Head Injury in Children

























