Pediatric Physical Therapy For Traumatic Brain Injury

If your child has suffered a traumatic brain injury, it may be one of the most stressful moments of your life.

You may feel helpless or like you simply don’t have the tools to navigate their recovery.

While most traumatic brain injuries are mild like concussions, some can be more severe and cause longer term symptoms.

Traumatic brain injuries are scary because they can happen to anyone.

Don’t worry, though, there are tools out there to help your family care for this injury.

Physical therapy for kids is one way you can help your child navigate the symptoms caused by their traumatic brain injury.

You do not have to do this alone – at our Washington DC pediatric therapy clinic, we’re here to help.

But first, let’s take a closer look at traumatic brain injury.

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

When an injury disrupts the way the brain functions, that is considered a traumatic brain injury, or TBI.

This happens when a head trauma leads to tissue damage in the brain.

The most common causes of traumatic brain injuries are car crashes, falls, and blows to the head.

A concussion is considered a mild form of TBI, and accounts for almost 80% of diagnosed traumatic brain injuries.

Indirect causes of brain injuries can occur from swelling, seizures, or blood in the brain.

Movement of the brain when the skull remains intact is called a closed injury, while a wound that pierces through the skull is called a penetrating injury.

Those who experience a moderate to severe TBI will require specialized care to recover from the physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.

Up to 43% of people who need hospitalization for their traumatic brain injury will develop some form of disability within a year of experiencing the injury.

Symptoms Of Traumatic Brain Injury

TBIs can affect many aspects of daily life.

For example, it can affect your child’s ability to speak or to swallow, which is where speech therapy for pediatric traumatic brain injury comes into play.

It can also drastically change their behavior.

Initially, problems with breathing and circulation can be an indication of a traumatic brain injury.

Stiffness or difficulty moving their limbs is a physical symptom of a TBI – though it’s important to note that congenital muscular torticollis may also have such symptoms, and these two disorders are not the same thing.

Cognitive symptoms may include issues with memory, attention, or problem solving.

If your child shows changes in mood regulation and has more trouble controlling their emotions, this is a symptom of their TBI.

Traumatic brain injury can also affect the sensory systems, which means changes in vision, hearing, sense of touch, or issues with sensory processing may happen with your child.

Changes in mood, sleep, vision, muscle weakness, headaches, dizziness, and balance impairment are the first things that would be monitored after a head injury.

Long term complications may include hearing loss, fluid buildup, joint rigidity, speech issues, incontinence, and hormonal imbalance.

How To Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury In Children

To figure out how to help prevent traumatic brain injury in children, you must look at the risk factors involved.

In toddlers, TBIs are most likely to be caused by falls, and in older children sports and bicycle accidents are among the more common causes.

Children with learning disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are more likely to be at risk for a traumatic brain injury.

Seasons can also affect the likelihood of a TBI, and they are more likely to occur in spring and summer.

Boys are slightly more at risk than girls for experiencing a traumatic brain injury.

Once aware of the risk factors, make sure your safety protocols are in place.

Provide supervision in playground areas where falls are more likely to occur.

Make sure your children wear helmets when they are doing activities like riding bicycles, skating, skateboarding, and using scooters and hover boards.

Make sure your children are using their seatbelts in the car – and correctly.

Car seats should be used for infants and secured correctly.

How Can Pediatric Physical Therapy For Traumatic Brain Injury Help?

Physical therapy can help your child rehabilitate after experiencing a traumatic brain injury.

Pediatric physical therapy for TBIs focuses on the impact it has on your child’s gross motor skills.

Your pediatric physical therapist can teach your child strategies so they can regain some of the impaired or lost function they’re dealing with.

Pediatric physical therapy will involve creating an individualized plan to address your child’s unique situation and needs.

Your pediatric physical therapist can monitor your child’s ability to follow instructions.

They can also help with their balance, coordination, and the muscle and joint flexibility that may have reduced through inactivity after the injury.

By providing exercises and training, your physical therapist will focus on improving the strength and movement ability of your child.

With a variety of coordinated techniques, pediatric physical therapy is a pivotal asset to help your child after they have experienced a traumatic brain injury.

Book Your Appointment With Triumph Therapeutics Today

Are you feeling overwhelmed trying to help your child after a traumatic brain injury?

Don’t hesitate, get help from a pediatric physical therapist to guide them in their recovery.

Book your appointment with Triumph Therapeutics Today.