Brain Injuries in Children on the Rise | DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog

According to the Centers for Disease Control, as many as 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) result from sports and recreation activities in the U.S. each year. Of those children, approximately 165,000 require hospitalization.

The most frequent causes of TBI are related to:

• car accidents
• falls
• sports related injuries; and
• abuse/assault.

It can be difficult for a parent to diagnose this type of injury as many children do not demonstrate visible impairments after a head injury. The symptoms depend on the extent and location of the brain injury and can vary greatly.

Children who suffered TBI may experience some or all of the following:

• Physical impairments – speech, vision, hearing and other sensory impairment, headaches, lack of fine motor coordination, spasticity of muscles, paresis or paralysis of one or both sides and seizure disorders,balance, and other gait impairments.
• Cognitive impairments – short- and long-term memory deficits, impaired concentration, slowness of thinking, and limited attention span, as well as impairments of perception, communication, reading and writing skills, planning, sequencing, and judgement.
• Psychosocial-behavioral-emotional impairments – fatigue, mood swings, denial, self-centeredness, anxiety, depression, lowered self-esteem, sexual dysfunction, restlessness, lack of motivation, inability to self-monitor, difficulty with emotional control, inability to cope, agitation, excessive laughing or crying, and difficulty relating to others.

There is a free guideline available for parents and care providers that provides more details about what your child may experience with TBI. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also has a Traumatic Brain Injury program for families that may lead you to local resources for assistance.

Having a child with this diagnosis is stressful both emotionally and financially for the entire family. If you believe that your child’s injury was the result of unsafe choices or conduct of others feel free to call and discuss the situation with our legal team. We have experience with these types of cases and understand the legal and medical issues as well as the family struggles. For free information about your legal rights, please click here or call Regan Zambri & Long PLLC at 202-463-3030.