Will My Child Have Lifelong Problems After Head Injury?

If your child has been in an accident or taken a fall, they may face a lifetime of problems.

According to a new study, the problems can range from communication deficits to trouble with daily self-care.

Children with traumatic brain injury were found to lead to “substantial long-term reduction” in quality of life, according to the study.

A few tips to avoid injuries:

• ·         Child should always be buckled while riding in a car; either in a car seat or seat belt depending on age.
• ·         Children should always wear a helmet when riding a bike

• Place gates on the top and bottom of stairways to prevent falls going up or down.

The study, published in the November issue of Pediatrics, looked at 729 children under 18 years old treated for brain injuries at emergency rooms in Seattle and Philadelphia between 2007 and 2008.

The children’s functions were determined before the injury, and then they were tested three months, one year and two years after. The children were assessed to see if they could have a conversation, and do things such as use the toilet, brush their teeth, and feed and dress themselves.

85% of the children suffered mild head injuries, and some of them had deficits at three months, but few suffered lasting loss of social and daily life activities. The children that suffered a moderate or severe brain injury, seemed to face obstacles in day-to-day life, sports and school activities at the end of the two year research study. Researchers said that the more seriously injured children had a lower quality of life than children undergoing active treatment for cancer.

The study included a control group of 197 children who had visited the same emergency rooms with arm injuries in the same period. According to the research, the children in the control group had no significant shortfalls after the two years.

As experienced Kansas City Brain Injury Attorneys, we hope that you’ll take head injuries seriously and visit a physician as soon as possible after the incident.  

If you or someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of an accident in Kansas or Missouri, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. Call our experienced Kansas and Missouri Personal Injury Lawyers. With over 15 years of experience in Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Accidents, including Traumatic Brain Injuries, we may be able to assist you and your family through this difficult time.