Brain Injuries in Children

It is an unfortunate reality that many children suffer from traumatic brain injuries, sometimes referred to as “TBI”, that are bad enough to cause disability and death. Children are especially vulnerable to this type of injury due to their size and lack of understanding.

There are a few different symptoms of severe brain injuries, which include the following:

• Mental or cognitive symptoms
• Physical symptoms (bang or bruise on the head)
• Serious confusion
• Unusual behavior including combativeness or agitation
• Slurring of words
• Unconsciousness

In children that are too young to verbally communicate their symptoms, look for the following:

• A change in nursing or eating habits
• Constant crying and unable to be consoled
• Easily irritable
• Unable to pay attention
• Change in their sleeping habits
• Depressed or sad moods
• Loss of interest in favorite activities, toys or television shows

Different Impact in Adults

The symptoms of a serious brain injury in a child are pretty similar to those experienced by an adult. However, the functional impact of the brain trauma or injury can be very different.

Your child’s brain is still developing, and any cognitive impairment of children may not be obvious after your child suffers an injury. You may not realize the severity of the injury until the child is older and he faces new social expectations for learning and increased cognitive challenges.

Ways to Reduce the Risk of Traumatic Brain Injury

There are a number of ways you can reduce your child’s risk of TBI, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Always use a seat belt, booster seat or another safety seat in accordance with your child’s weight, age, height, and state law.
• Make sure you child wears a helmet when biking, skateboarding, riding on an all-terrain vehicle (ATV), or snowmobile. You may also consider a helmet if your child participates in in-line skating, football, boxing or ice hockey. Playing baseball, snowboarding, skiing and riding a horse are also activities where your child could benefit from wearing a helmet in order to avoid a serious injury.
• Make the living areas in your home safe for your children by installing window guard to prevent small children from falling out. Use safety gates around stairways when your children are younger.
• When taking a child to a playground, be sure the surface is made of shock-absorbing materials, such as sand or mulch.

If your child has suffered a severe brain injury, seek out the experience of a personal injury attorney. Our expert legal team at Boyer Law Firm can review your situation to determine if someone was negligent and somehow caused your child’s injury. We can help you seek compensation for the injury. Each case is different, so contact us today to learn more.