ABOUT
What is a Brain Injury?
Brain injury refers to a sudden change in brain function, which prevents the brain from performing the way it normally does. Many people are surprised to learn that concussions, for example, are b
SBIA works with people who have acquired brain injuries (ABI), which means that the injury to the brain was sustained sometime after birth.
There are two main types of acquired brain injury:
Traumatic: caused by a blow or other type of external impact to the head. Injuries in this category can be caused by hard falls, car accidents, sports injuries, and other collisions.
Non-traumatic: acquired as a result of a health issue within the body, such as a stroke, tumor, infection, or anoxia (when the body is deprived of oxygen).
Brain injuries are irreversible - they do not heal like injuries to the skin or the body.
However, we as a community can do our best to prevent brain injuries. Click here to find out more.
What Changes After You Acquire a Brain Injury?
Cognitive Effects
Social Effects
Physical Effects
Difficulty with memory
Trouble with communicating verbally or in writing
Struggle to control emotions.
Difficulty concentrating
Difficulty moving certain muscles
Trouble with coordination
Confused sensory perceptions
Deafness
Dizziness
Trouble sleeping
Seizures
Blindness
More dependent on others
Difficult to return to work or school
Suddenly forced to adapt to a very different lifestyle
Social isolation
While some symptoms are more common than others, no two brain injuries are alike. One survivor’s symptoms can differ greatly from another’s, which could be down to the nature of the injury, differences in the individuals' brains pre-injury, or simply the individuals' personalities.
