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What is Traumatic Brain Injury or Head Injury?
The two basic types of head injury are: "open head injury" and "closed head
injury." Open head injuries are caused by penetrating objects. Closed head
injuries are the most common and are usually caused by a rapid movement of
the head during which the brain is whipped back and forth, bouncing off the
inside of the skull. Another major cause of brain injury is "anoxia" or loss of
oxygen to the brain.
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Moderate to severe brain injury
Almost always results in loss of consciousness lasting days to weeks or
longer. Although persons surviving moderate to severe TBIs can make
significant improvements in the first year after injury and continue to improve
at a slower pace for many years, they are often left with some permanent
physical and/or cognitive impairments.
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Mild brain injury,
or "concussion," the person may feel dazed or experience a brief loss of
consciousness. Mild brain injury can lead to headaches, dizziness, mild
mental slowing, and fatigue.
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What are the Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury?
Motor vehicle accidents cause 50% of all TBI's, falls 21%, violence 12% and
sports and recreation 10%
Child abuse accounts for 64% of infant brain injuries.
Each year in the US, 50,000 children sustain bicycle related brain injuries, and of
these 400 die.
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