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ArticlesFamily and Care Givers From "Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury" by Richard H. Adler When someone close to you has a brain injury, it can be hard to know the best way to help. Individuals with brain injuries may deny that anything is wrong, but a family member or close personal friend can tell that something has changed. Your family member’s ability to communicate may be affected if the traumatic injury resulted in damaged areas of the brain that control speech, comprehension, and the ability to use words to make sentences and express ideas. Changes in your family member’s ability to communicate can lead to loss of friends, misunderstandings, or difficulty in school or at work. Your family member may feel frustrated, lonely, angry, or depressed. When someone close to you has a brain injury, it can be hard to know the best way to help. Individuals with brain injuries may deny that anything is wrong, but a family member or close personal friend can tell that something has changed. If you notice that a loved one has symptoms of brain injury that are getting worse or not getting better, it’s time to talk to your doctor about getting help. Reasons for getting help include:
The good news is that there are many people who can help you and your family as you recover from traumatic brain injury or a closed head injury. You don’t need to do it alone. There are many others like you who have gone through this. There are organizations and resources available to you. Talk with your doctor about your concerns. Ask your doctor to refer you to a medical specialist who knows how to assess and treat traumatic brain injury patients. Your doctor should be able to help you find a healthcare provider (such as a neurologist, physiatrist, or neuropsychologist) who has special training in this area. As in most medical areas, early assessment by competent professionals who specialize in traumatic brain injury rehabilitation can help speed recovery. You should know that your doctor may refer you to a neurologist, neuropsychologist, radiologist, neurosurgeon, or specialist in rehabilitation, know as a physiatrist. Another good idea is to talk with people who may have experienced what you’re going through. Contact the Brain Injury Association of Washington at (206) 388-0900. They can put you in contact with people who can help. They provide information and put people in touch with local resources, such as support groups, rehabilitation services, and a variety of healthcare professionals. You can find out more information about traumatic brain injury by contacting:
Finally, here are some practical day-to-day tips to keep in mind when communicating with a TBI survivor (not all situations will apply to a given person):
A recent publication, “Communicating with an Adult after Brain Injury,” published by the Brain Injury Association of America in 2006, provides excellent tips on questions to ask yourself to improve communication with your family member. The following are some of those examples:
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