Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury

Even though traumatic brain injuries are not always visible and can seem minor or inconsequential, these injuries are complex. The signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury vary extensively based on the severity, the extent of the injury, the site, and the time since an injury occurred. Notably, the signs and effects caused by brain injuries are classified into three major categories, namely physical and sensory changes, cognitive impairments, and, lastly, social, behavioral, and emotional problems (Heward and Charles 426).

The first category of brain injury, physical and sensory changes, includes the following signs and effects: 1) visual impairments like sensitivity to light, double vision, blurry vision, and visual field effects; 2) hearing impairments like high sensitivity to sound; 3) sleep problems including insomnia; and 4)  nausea, dizziness, chronic headaches, and light-headedness. Further signs and effects include recurrent seizure activity, poor regulation of body temperature, alterations in senses of smell, touch, and taste, and poor coordination and balance (Heward and Charles 428). Other physical signs include reduced accuracy of movement and speed of motor performance.

In the second category of brain injuries, cognitive impairments, several signs and effects are possible. Firstly, an individual will have difficulty keeping up with discussions, note-taking, and other similar activities. Secondly, an individual may experience difficulty concentrating, meaning that one might be confused. Thirdly, one may experience difficulty transitioning from one task to another, for instance, going from one place to another or switching from task A to task B. The fourth effect is being unable to organize and plan everyday tasks like keeping track of house keys or a phone. Notably, this effect extends to pacing activities and tasks in everyday life. The fifth effect is impairment of receptive oral language, which means an individual with traumatic brain injury will experience difficulty following directions and misunderstand what other people say (Heward and Charles 428). The sixth effect is the inability to perceive nonverbal cues, such as vocal inflections. Further effects include impaired reading comprehension, being extremely sensitive to distraction, and having a tendency for repetitive behavior or rather perseveration. Lastly, other signs and effects of cognitive impairments from traumatic brain injury include deficiencies in both written language and expressive oral. Accordingly, individuals will have slow speech, aphasia, reduced articulation, challenges in punctuation and spelling, and trouble retrieving words.

In the third category of traumatic brain injuries, social, emotional, and behavioral problems, the following signs and effects are possible: First, one experiences increased aggressiveness, especially if the site of the injury is the frontal lobe which is responsible for emotions and behaviors. For example, evidence shows that there is an increased prevalence of traumatic brain injuries among young violent offenders paralleled to the general population (Katzin, Samuel et al. 4). The second sign is prolonged agitation, restlessness, irritability, and anxiety. The third sign is a decreased tolerance capability, which results in overreactions to even the smallest events and frequent anger outbursts. Fourthly, an individual will display an impaired ability to self-manage, leading to low impulse control (Heward and Charles 428). The fifth sign is excessively and compulsively talking. The sixth sign is difficulty dealing with any kind of change, which is displayed through poor coping strategies.

In conclusion, the signs and symptoms of traumatic brain injury differ broadly based on three factors: severity, the magnitude of the injury, the position of the injury, and time passed since an injury occurred. Severity means that the injury can just be minor, like a mild concussion, and the magnitude refers to how big or small the brain area is injured. Besides, the position determines the type of signs and effects; for example, injury in the frontal lobe will lead to emotional problems. Lastly, time passed since the injury occurred, which means that what was an injury that was minor and could easily be treated, but the injury could worsen as time passes.

Works Cited

Heward, William L., and Charles L. Wood. Exceptional children: An introduction to special education. Pearson Education/Merrill/Prentice Hall, 2006.

Katzin, Samuel, et al. “Exploring traumatic brain injuries and aggressive antisocial behaviors in young male violent offenders.” Frontiers in Psychiatry 11 (2020): 507196.

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Head injuries are classified by the type of injury (open or closed), by the kind of damage sustained by the brain, and by the location of the injury. A closed head injury does not involve penetration of the skull.

Traumatic Brain Injury

A closed head injury occurs when the head hits or is hit by an object with such force that the brain slams again the inside of the cranium. The effects of traumatic brain injury on learning and behavior are determined by the severity of the injury and the part of the brain that sustained damage. Write a two-page paper that describes the possible signs and effects of a traumatic brain injury. Using your text and the internet, What are some possible signs and effects of traumatic brain injury?