An acquired brain injury in childhood or whilst the brain is still growing (it matures at approx 22 years of age) can have a devastating affect on the whole family.
For example, Susan was 9 she fell from her bedroom window on the first floor. She sustained a broken arm and collarbone and was, prior to being discharged 2 days later, found to have a blood clot on the brain which required immediate surgery.
The doctors predicted that the operation might lead to some memory loss and issues with concentration. Susan’s head injury was referred to as a ‘mild’ but her parents were assured that the issues would be short-term. Mum and Dad were encouraged to ride out the potential, but unlikely, 2 year recovery period and view these issues as entirely surmountable.
Susan returned home 2 weeks later and returned to full-time school.
One follow-up appointment was arranged with the community paediatrician, at which time Susan was given the all-clear. Mum and Dad were asked about any issues that concerned them, but they both felt confident that Susan had made a remarkable recovery.
Since her return to school, Susan has continued to make ‘acceptable’ academic progression, but has not coped well with the transition from primary to secondary school.
4 years on and Susan is now 13. She is in her second year of high school, but teaching staff are finding Susan increasingly difficult to understand. Susan’s school reports indicate that she has the potential to 'try harder' but chooses not to.
The school believe that Susan may be suffering from depression. When she is on a ‘downer’ teachers have said that she point-blank refuses to listen to or consider any point of view other than her own. Staff have tried their best to reason with her but on these occasions, they maintain that it is almost as if it goes 'in one ear and out the other'. These occasions are becoming much more frequent and are leading to extreme and irrational behavioural changes.
Susan also struggles to get from class to class when the corridors are crowded. She often finds herself tripping over books and bags and bumping into people and lockers.
She can’t remember things that she is told in class even though everyone else in the class understands it perfectly well. Susan is reluctant to ask for things to be repeated. Even when Susan does understand what she has to do, she often has great difficulty initiating the task and the steps involved in completing it.
She comes to school each day with half finished homework. There have been times when Susan hasn’t been able to find the notes she has made for herself for homework and/ or has had difficulty understanding them, so it has been impossible to complete.
Susan gets easily distracted in class. She tends to think about other things quite a bit and has great difficulty following verbal instructions.
She struggles to keep up with the pace of classroom activity, and seems to work less effectively in group activities.
PE isn’t something Susan enjoys, particularly when the sports teacher is shouting out instructions and you are expected to get involved in team
sports. Susan has PE straight after morning break, and it leaves her absolutely exhausted.
She also struggles to change back into her school uniform afterwards as it’s impossible to tell which way things go. The other kids at school think it’s hilarious if Susan puts her shoes on the wrong feet or has her jumper round the wrong way.
Susan has been accused by her friends as having a sense of humour failure. She doesn’t ‘get’ their jokes and has a tendency to take what is being said in the wrong way. They are embarrassed to be with her and she feels increasingly lonely.
Susan goes to bed exhausted of an evening, averages between 8 and 9 hours sleep but still struggles to get up the following day.
Mum and Dad are increasingly worried about her behaviour, attitude and general well being. Mum is getting tired and Dad is becoming irritated by mum's lack of time for him.
This story is just one example of how an acquired brain injury can impact on the family and the young person themselves.
Supporting people like Susan and her family is what the Child Brain Injury Trust do . No matter how big or small the issue is the charity will do what it can to help the family get through with hope and peace of mind for the future.
I hope the money that I raise for Challenge 21 will support families so that they don't have to go through the pain that Susan and her family have had to go through. So even though I have pain in my arms, its nothing like the pain families go through so please support me and help me raise £2,100 www.virginmoneygiving.com/lisaturan
STAY SAFE ... South Shields MP David Miliband with Harton Primary School pupils, who are wearing cycling helmets donated by brain injury charity Headway and Thompsons Solicitors.
