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Speech-Language Institute

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

  • 12 March 2020

Most of us never imagine that our lives could be impacted by a serious brain injury, but according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association between 3.2 and 5.3 million Americans live with long-term disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI). March is dedicated to improving the awareness of brain injuries.

There are two types of brain injuries - traumatic and non-traumatic.

xray of brainTRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CAUSES:

  • Falls
  • Assaults
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Sports/Recreation Injuries
  • Abusive Head Trauma (Shaken Baby Syndrome)
  • Gunshot Wounds
  • Workplace Injuries
  • Child Abuse
  • Domestic Violence
  • Military Actions (Blast Injury) 

NON-TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CAUSES:

  • Stroke (Hemorrhage, Blood Clot)
  • Infectious Disease (Meningitis, Encephalitis)
  • Seizure
  • Electric Shock
  • Tumors
  • Toxic Exposure
  • Metabolic Disorders
  • Neurotoxic Poisoning (Carbon Monoxide, Lead Exposure)
  • Lack of Oxygen (Drowning, Choking, Hypoxic/Anoxic Injury – Lack of Oxygen to the Brain)
  • Drug Overdose 

TBI patient at SLIBrain injury can leave an individual with a number of persistent impairments. These problems may be cognitive (difficulties with attention, memory, communication, reasoning, and problem-solving); physical (weakness or lack of coordination in arms or legs, impaired vision, fatigue, sleep problems); emotional (vulnerability to depression, difficulty controlling anger or anxiety); or behavioral (being impulsive). Survivors of brain injuries are often left with cognitive and communication deficits, such as memory loss, slurred speech, and trouble swallowing.

Those who suffer from a brain injury may require care from a number of physicians or specialists, including speech-language pathologists (SLPs). SLPs work to address deficiencies in language, swallowing and speech. Someone with a brain injury may have difficulty expressing what they would like to say, organizing their thoughts, speaking fluently and have memory lapses. After conducting a series of evaluations, a SLP will set goals, create a customized therapy plan, and schedule follow-up appointments for each individual client. Along with support groups, the Speech-Language Institute (SLI) of Salus University offers treatment and therapy for many of these common deficits.

For more information on SLI’s services or to schedule an appointment, call 215.780.3150