Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Awareness & Prevention

Types of TBI & Symptoms

Differences in severity of damage to the brain after TBI is the primary factor in predicting the injury’s impact on the individual. TBI is typically categorized as mild, moderate, or severe.

Mild TBI or Concussion:

• An individual with a Mild TBI or concussion may remain conscious or may experience a loss of consciousness for a few seconds or minutes. Other symptoms of Mild TBI or concussion may include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue or lethargy, a change in sleep patterns, behavioral or mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking.

Moderate or Severe TBI:

• An individual with Moderate or Severe TBI may show the same symptoms but may also have a headache that gets worse or does not go away, repeated vomiting or nausea, convulsions or seizures, an inability to awaken from sleep, dilation of one or both pupils of the eyes, slurred speech, weakness or numbness in the extremities, loss of coordination, and increased confusion, restlessness, or agitation.

Major Causes of TBI

• Falls
• Firearm-related wounds and suicide
• Military actions (eg, Blast injury)
• Assaults (eg, being struck by or against something)
• Motor vehicle accidents
• Sports and recreational injuries
• Workplace injuries
• Abusive head trauma (eg, Shaken baby Syndrome)
• Child abuse
• Domestic violence

People at high risk of TBI

A person of any age can experience a TBI, but data suggest that some groups are at greater risk for experiencing a TBI or having worse health outcomes after the injury.

Keeping children and teens healthy and safe is always a top priority. Whether you are a parent, youth sports coach, school coach, school professional, or health care provider, it is important to recognize, respond to, and minimize the risk of concussion or other serious brain injury. General prevention and safety measures include using gates at top and bottom of stairs to prevent serious falls; playing at playgrounds with soft material like mulch or sand to lessen impact; properly installing age- and size-appropriate car and booster seats; and making sure children and teens wear helmets that fit correctly when engaging in activities.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

How does TBI impact the brain?

TBI is unpredictable in its consequences.

TBI affects who we are and the way we think, act, and feel. It can change everything about us in a matter of seconds.

For example, a TBI to the frontal lobes of an individual’s brain may affect their ability to control emotions, impulses, and behavior or may cause difficulty in recalling events or speaking. TBI to the temporal lobes may lead an individual to demonstrate difficulty with communication or memory. TBI to the parietal lobes may cause an individual to experience trouble with their five primary senses. TBI to the cerebellum may affect an individual’s balance, movement, and coordination. And TBI to the occipital lobes may cause an individual to have trouble seeing or perceiving the size and shape of objects.

More specifically, research shows that TBI incurred on the Left side of the brain may cause:

• Difficulties understanding language (receptive language)
• Difficulties in speaking or verbal output (expressive language)
• Catastrophic reactions (depression, anxiety)
• Difficulty speaking
• Impaired logic
• Sequencing difficulties
• Decreased control over right-sided body movements

Whereas TBI incurred on the Right side of the brain may cause:

• Visual-spatial impairment
• Visual memory deficits
• Left neglect (inattention to the left side of the body)
• Decreased awareness of deficits
• Altered creativity and music perception
• Loss of “the big picture” type of thinking
• Decreased control over left-sided body movements

Cognitive Problems after TBI

Download this factsheet explaining common cognitive changes after TBI and how to best manage them.

Source: Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), UW Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (tbi.washington.edu), and Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC). 

What Is a Concussion?

A concussion is a mild type of traumatic brain injury—or TBI—caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist in the skull, creating chemical changes in the brain and sometimes stretching and damaging brain cells.

4 Important Facts

• A person with a concussion is a person first.
• No two concussions are exactly the same.
• The effects of concussions are complex and vary greatly from person to person.
• The effects of concussions depend on factors such as cause, location, and severity.

Signs & Symptoms

Physical signs & symptoms of a concussion include:

Mental signs & symptoms of a concussion include:

Each year, approximately 37,200 children sustain a severe TBI.

Severe Pediatric TBI is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Of the children who survive TBI, more than 50% experience unfavorable outcomes up to 6 months after the injury. All types of TBI can seriously affect a child’s daily life.

Putting prevention strategies in place will help reduce the risk of TBI in children of all ages:

• Seatbelts – Use a child safety seat or a seat belt when the child is in a motor vehicle.
• Helmets – Make sure the child wears a helmet when riding a bicycle, skateboarding, and playing sports like hockey and football.
• Window guards & safety gates – Properly install window guards and stair safety gates at home.
• Avoid shaking your baby – Learn how to prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome which may result in lifelong medical care.

To learn more about TBI, visit: nih.gov/health/topics/tbi

For Parent, Student, and Educator Resources, visit: ninds.nih.gov

Source: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development (nichd.nih.gov)

Five Ways to Prevent TBI

1 – Buckle up every ride – Wear a seat belt every time you drive, or ride, in a motor vehicle.

2 – Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs

3 – Wear a helmet (or other appropriate headgear) when:

• Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or using an all-terrain vehicle.
• Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing.
• Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard.
• Batting and/or running bases in baseball or softball.
• Riding a horse.
• Skiing or snowboarding.

4 – Prevent falls in older adults by:

• Talking to your doctor to evaluate your risk for falling and learning specific things you can do to reduce your risk for a fall.
• Asking your doctor or pharmacist to review your medicines to see if any might make you dizzy or sleepy (this should include prescription medicines, over-the counter medicines, herbal supplements, and vitamins).
• Having your eyes checked at least once a year and be sure to update your eyeglasses (if needed).
• Performing strength and balance exercises to make your legs stronger and improve your balance.
• Making your home a safer place to live.

5 – Make living & play areas safer for children by:

• Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows.
• Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around.
• Making sure your child’s playground has soft material under it, such as hardwood mulch or sand.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Return to Learn (RTL) Program

The Return to Learn (RTL) Program is a fast, comprehensive assessment program for any high school student with a concussion that coordinates care between physicians, parents, and school administrators to offer best practice academic accommodations to help students quickly return to their full classroom capacity.

Developed by researchers at the Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC) and backed by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “Return to Learn” refers to the idea that students with a concussion should have attention paid to the pace and nature of how they return to academics. The program is based on research, clinical expertise, focus groups with school staff, and surveys of students impacted by concussion.

In Washington State, if someone has active symptoms after having a concussion they cannot play in any organized sports per state law. Washington was first to adapt this legislation through the Zachery Lystedt Law.

The RTL step-by-step toolkit includes:

• Following an actionable, flexible RTL protocol
• Training and educating school staff
• Providing coordinated, interdisciplinary care for injured students
• Formalizing communication between the family, school, and medical providers

Additionally, a comprehensive packet is included with a Weekly Checklist to help staff evaluate symptoms, as well as corresponding academic adjustments and accommodations. It provides information on when students should seek additional treatment, and how to foster coordination between teachers and other applicable school staff to ensure student(s) needs are being met.

For more information, visit: hiprc.org/rtl-2

PEGASUS Project: Argentina

PEGASUS, a global partnership led by Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center (HIPRC), is aiming to improve outcomes after severe pediatric TBI with support from a grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

The partnership with Centro de Informática e Investigación Clínica in Rosario, Argentina, Children’s National Hospital in Washington D.C., and HIPRC in Seattle is studying best practice guideline adherence and outcomes in severe pediatric TBI treatment in Argentina, Chile, and Paraguay.

Pediatric TBI is the leading killer of children worldwide, and learning how to provide the best care possible in a variety of settings is critical to reducing the harms from these injuries.

For more information, visit: hiprc.org/pegasus

211 Washington

Washington 211 is honored to partner with the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services to provide No Wrong Door Information and Referral Services to all Washingtonians affected by or caring for someone with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

Everyone should have access to a single point of contact that will listen to their concerns, help them prioritize their needs, and then assist them in determining eligibility and/or how to enroll in programs that will help them meet their needs.

Additional Resources:

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