Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer. Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries can be devastating. Science is just now beginning to learn about the short- and long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) to adults. The effects of traumatic brain injuries on children is also being investigated and studied but are, as of present, not fully understood. Making matters worse, some of the symptoms and effects of a TBI suffered in childhood may not fully manifest until later in life. What do parents need to know about childhood TBIs and the effects this may have on their child’s development?
Incidence of TBIs Among Children
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, TBIs are the primary cause of childhood disability and death. According to statistics maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
- Approximately 62,000 children between the ages of 0 and 19 require hospitalization each year for TBIs;
- Over 500,000 children between the ages of 0 and 19 are seen in emergency rooms for TBIs each year and released without hospitalization; and
- Childhood TBIs can be inflicted as the result of car crashes, injuries while playing sports, and falls from heights;
For children ages 0 to 14 years of age, TBIs are thought to cause:
- Over 2,500 deaths each year;
- About 37,000 hospitalizations each year; and
- An estimated 435,000 hospital visits (without hospitalization) each year.
What Conditions Can Result from a TBI?
Although some TBI-related symptoms and conditions may not fully manifest until adulthood, a child who suffers a TBI may experience both short- and long-term symptoms that can impact the child’s growth and development. Generally, the younger the child is at the time he or she suffers a TBI, the greater the risk to the child of suffering long-term complications from that injury. A child who suffers from TBI may experience short-term symptoms such as:
- Short-term memory deficit conditions such as Attention Deficit Disorder;
- Speech complications;
- Mood swings and emotional instability;
- Vision and/or hearing complications;
- Impairment of the child’s perception and/or judgment;
- Anxiety, depression, and/or low self-esteem;
- Seizures;
- Paralysis.
As the child grows and develops, the true extent of TBI-related damage can be more easily seen. Children who suffered TBIs early in life may experience difficulty in learning new information or social or behavioral skills. (This can, in turn, affect the child’s future prospects for holding down a job and making friends.) Children with TBIs are known to struggle with academics more than non-injured children. They will likely require additional assistance throughout their academic careers in order to help cope with the lingering effects of their TBIs.
What Can I As a Parent Do to Help?
If you have a young child, you should take precautions to protect your child from suffering a TBI. If you suspect your child has suffered a TBI as a result of a fall or other injury, you should seek immediate medical treatment for your child and follow the recommendations of the doctor. In addition, you should consider taking your child to the doctor periodically throughout the child’s life so that any lingering effects can be promptly detected and treated. If your child plays sports like football or soccer, you should remove your child from the sport and allow him or her to fully heal and recover before allowing him or her to return to play.
Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer, and if your child has suffered a TBI as a result of another person’s careless or negligent actions, I want to fight for you to recover compensation to help you pay for your child’s medical needs. I’ve been helping California parents whose children suffer TBIs through the negligence of others recover financial compensation for years. Call me at (916) 694-0002 for free, friendly advice. Read more about us on our website, https://www.AutoAccident.com.
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