Brain Injury Basics
What is a Brain Injury?
Every day, 99 New Zealanders sustain a brain injury. Brain injuries are more common than you think, and can happen to anyone at any time.
Brain injury is a general term referring to any injury to the brain. Brain injury ranges from mild to moderate to severe, depending on the type of injury.
What causes a Brain Injury?
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TBI can occur when an external trauma to the head causes damage to the brain. There are two types of TBI:
Closed TBI occurs when there is a blunt impact or blow to the head but the skull is not penetrated or fractured.
Open TBI occurs when there is an impact on the brain and the skull has been penetrated or fractured.
The major causes of TBI are car crashes, sports injuries, assaults and falls.The highest risk groups for sustaining TBI are children under 5 years of age, men aged 15 -30 years, and the elderly.
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ABI is brain damage caused after birth by events such as:
Strokes and aneurysms
Infections
Meningitis and encephalitis
Hypoxia / anoxia
Cerebral tumours
Metabolic disorders
Drugs and alcohol
Gases (carbon monoxide)
Solvents
Pesticides
Lead poisoning
Whatever the cause the resulting damage can have a huge impact on the person’s life affecting the individual’s abilities physically, cognitively and emotionally.
“A new brain injury occurs every 15 minutes in New Zealand.”
— THE BIONIC (BRAIN INJURY OUTCOMES NZ IN THE COMMUNITY) STUDY PUBLISHED IN THE LANCET 22 NOVEMBER 2012
The Effects
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Impact of the injury
A brain injury may affect a person physically, and emotionally, as well as impacting cognition, memory, sensory perception, personality and the ability to communicate.
Ongoing problems may include:
Cognitive problems. Difficulties with thinking clearly, maintaining concentration, problem solving and completing projects.
Memory problems. Particularly with learning and remembering new information.
Physical problems. With a sense of balance, fatigue causing reduced mental and physical stamina, slower reflexes and headaches.
Sensory problems. Lower tolerance to light and noise, or problems with taste, smell and touch. Difficulties in crowded places.
Communication difficulties. Finding the right words, making it difficult to express yourself or your ability to understand others.
Personality changes. Irritability, intolerance, depression, anxiety, emotionally fragile, socially inappropriate behaviour and mood swings.
Loss of contact with friends and associates.
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Impact of Family & Whanau
A brain injury doesn’t only affect the individual, the whole family is affected.
Families face many difficulties including:
The rollercoaster of emotions that a brain injury brings, it can involve coping with intensive care and other medical treatments and trying to understand a lot of new information
Changes in relationships / roles
Financial difficulties
Legal issues
Isolation and stress while supporting someone with an injury.
Having to engage with organisations such as ACC, Work & Income around entitlements.
Anxiety around the future as well as adjusting to how the impact the injury impacts on the individual and other family members/ friends.
Stress.
