To an outside observer, traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are invisible…and medically, the injuries are not well understood. As a result, those who suffer often don’t receive adequate—or even minimal—treatment. But the truth is that TBI changes lives. Any head injury is a tragedy, but when TBI happens to children, adolescents, or young adults, the tragedy is [...]
Dylan Hearn probably has a great future ahead of him; he is wise beyond is meager years. The 7-year-old Colorado boy has a personal crusade to made sure that everyone takes concussion seriously. And he knows what he is talking about: He suffered two concussions in the past six months. The first was playing football, [...]
What survives of a marriage when a spouse suffers brain injury? According to an article in The New York Times, that’s the question being investigated by Dr. Jeffrey S. Kreutzer and other psychologists at Virginia Commonwealth University (V.C.U.) in Richmond. In addition, the psychologists are working to develop marriage counseling techniques for affected couples. According [...]
Over the course of a year, we write hundreds of blogs. In case you missed some, here is a round-up of the most important traumatic brain injury (TBI) stories of the year. (To read any of the blogs, click on the title and you’ll be taken directly to the story.) U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords The [...]
When children suffer a head injury, parents are always relieved once the tears stop. But a study published in the November 2011 issue of the journal Pediatrics reveals that children with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have substantial long-term reduction in quality of life. The study examined 729 children treated for TBI. Researchers [...]
Three months ago, we wrote a blog about how some folks were calling to ban fighting in major league hockey. The call for action came on the heels of three deaths: 35-year-old Wade Belak, who committed suicide; 27-year-old Rick Rypien, who was found dead in his home; and 28-year-old Derek Boogaard, who died from an [...]
When most people think of service dogs, they think of a Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd helping a blind person navigate the world. That’s why Chloe is so unexpected. Chloe is a 17-pound mutt (best guess is that she is a mix of Bichon Frise, Poodle, and Shih Tzu) that was living in an animal [...]
We know that getting hard hits to the head can cause concussion and brain injury. That’s why we worry so much about football players, boxers, and soldiers, who regularly get their heads smacked around. But a new study reveals that soccer players may also be at risk. The study, which was discussed at the annual [...]
A new product is the latest tool to combat sports concussions. The Impact Indicator (by manufacturer Battle) is a chin strap that connects to a player’s helmet. It measures the force and duration of a hit to the head: When first connected, the impact indicator LED light on the chin is green…but after a hard [...]
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic and UCLA have discovered that people who suffer from traumatic brain injury (TBI) are four times more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease than people who have never had a head injury. According to an article on Digital Journal, the researchers reviewed the past medical records of about 200 patients, looking [...]