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Acquired Brain Injuries

Acquired brain injuries are caused by external physical forces applied to the head that occur suddenly in the course of normal development. The most common causes of acquired brain injuries are automobile accidents, falls, assaults and sports injuries. Acquired brain injuries typically result in total or partial brain damage that is diffuse or widespread; it is not usually confined to one area of the brain. Thus, impairments are multiple and can affect both cognitive abilities and physical functioning.

“The Incidence of Traumatic Brain Injury in the United States,” a Disability Statistics Abstract of the U.S. Department of Education, states that in the United States a person receives a traumatic brain injury every 15 seconds. Over 2 million such injuries occur each year, with about 25 percent severe enough to require hospital admission. Between 75,000 and 100,000 people die each year from acquired brain injuries, and such injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. Two-thirds of all persons sustaining acquired brain injuries are younger than age 30.

People who sustain acquired brain injuries may experience physical symptoms, such as persistent headaches, fatigue, seizures, lack of motor coordination and sleeping disorders; cognitive symptoms, such as short and long-term memory loss, limited attention span, inability to make decisions and communication impairments; or behavioral/ emotional symptoms, such as mood swings, depression, irritability, impulsivity and denial of the disability.

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