Get Caught With Your Helmet Summer is here and as we all know, children will be more visible riding their bikes, scooters or skates. One of the most important things we can teach our children this summer is to wear a helmet when riding outside. The result of a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) can be devastating to a family. Some family members claim that it is not unlike a death in the family. A different person emerges whose needs are immense and immediate and who may need specialized services to function in everyday life. It is important that we educate our children in safety awareness when operating any type of wheeled device. There are obvious physical changes with someone who has a TBI. Although not all of these changes will occur in everyone, some characteristics commonly associated with brain injury include: Motor deficits - poor balance, lowered endurance, poor coordination, abnormal tone, muscle stiffness Perceptual deficits - heightened sensitivity to touch, loss of sensation to parts of the body, double vision, difficulty in depth perception, loss of the sense of smell or taste Speech / Language deficits - difficulty understanding what is said, expressing thoughts, recalling words, and pronouncing words Seizures Along with the physical changes that may occur, cognitive changes are even more difficult to accept. Communication can become an obstacle in the presence of cognitive impairments. Personality changes can put pressure on close relationships with others. Usually when the disability can be seen, it is easier to understand the limitations and know what to expect. Some of the changes that may occur are as follows: Cognitive deficits - disorientation, attention deficits, inability to concentrate, memory loss, learning disorders, poor judgement, difficulty with making decisions, inflexibility Regulatory disturbances (sleeping, eating, bowel and bladder control) Personality changes - lack of interest, decrease in motivation, extreme and rapid changes in emotion, irritability, depression, lack of initiative, lowered frustration tolerance, social immaturity In order to address these problems, they must be identifiable. Specialized brain injury rehabilitation professionals, including therapists, psychologists, and other professionals, can provide education to the individual with brain injury and his/her family members, offer guidance in dealing with these issues when they occur and help anticipate problems in the future. Frustration among families is common because of the uncertainty about the level of recovery to expect. Someone with brain injury can expect the first two years to be a natural process of recovery. Rehabilitation programs can challenge and channel this natural process, but the rate of recovery still varies for each person. As parents we can help reduce the risk of severe head trauma by educating and being an example to children by wearing helmets while riding bikes or scooters, skating or rollerblading. Legislation in Baton Rouge is discussing a bill that will make it illegal for children to ride without a helmet. This summer the Rehabilitation Center of Thibodaux Regional, the Thibodaux Police Department and the Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Department are promoting "Get Caught With Your Helmet." During the months of June, July and August, if a child is "caught" riding with a helmet, he or she will be awarded with a coupon for a prize and receive an entry form to win a $100 gift certificate to Wal-Mart. If you have any questions concerning "Get Caught With Your Helmet" or need more information on TBI, call the Rehabilitation Center of Thibodaux Regional, 985-493-4731. return to health articles