WHAT IS AN ACQUIRED BRAIN INJURY (ABI)?
An ABI is damage to the brain since birth, there may be a number of reasons for this including Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), which is trauma to the brain as a result of an assault, road traffic accident or a fall. Other causes of ABI include non traumatic injuries such as stroke, brain tumours, infection, poisoning, hypoxia, ischemia, encephalopathy or substance abuse. The brain is responsible for controlling our body’s functions; if it is damaged then this will affect these functions. Each brain injury affects the brain in a
different way, meaning symptoms will be different for each person; they could include difficulties with:
Memory
Concentration
Attention
Visual perception
Aphasia
- Motivation
Information processing
Insight
Empathy
Planning and organisation
Flexible thinking
Perseveration
Monitoring performance
- Multi-tasking
Solving unusual problems
Visual perception
Self-awareness
Learning rules
Social behaviour
Making decisions
Motivation
Initiating appropriate behaviour
Inhibiting inappropriate behaviour
Controlling emotions
Retaining information
Physical
Mobility
Spasticity
Weakness
Ataxia
Sensory impairment
Fatigue
Speech
Epilepsy
Hemiplegia
Emotional/Behavioural
personality changes
Mood swings
Emotional lability
Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Anger
Disinhibition
Impulsiveness
Obsessive behaviour
HOW DOES ABI IMPACT ON ME?
Impairments in functioning will vary depending on the type of brain injury and the part of the brain it impacts on, as different areas of the brain are responsible for different tasks. A brain injury can impact upon all aspects of activities of daily living (ADL) for example an individual could experience difficulties with:
Self-care
Dressing
Washing
Bathing/showering
Feeding
Toileting
Productivity
Shopping
Cooking
Cleaning
Laundry
Seeking employment
Maintaining employment
Banking
Paying bills
Driving
Gardening
Leisure
Sport
Socialising
Maintaining friendships
Attending shows/theatre/concerts
This list is not exhaustive but demonstrates the wide range of activities which an ABI impacts on.
HOW CAN MANCHESTER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES HELP?
Here at Manchester Occupational Therapy Services we would aim to put together a comprehensive, client focused, holistic rehabilitation package. The Occupational Therapist will conduct an interview with the individual to gain an understanding of who they were pre brain injury. The Occupational Therapist will then work closely with the individual to assess how their physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioural impairments affect their performance (Kearney et al, 2007).
Treatment programmes may include:
Rehabilitating physical deficits
Recommend aids and adaptations
24/7 posture management
Improve ADL function
Train support workers/family
Cognitive rehabilitation
Implement memory aids
Improve weekly structure
Vocational rehabilitation
Consider assistive technology
Following a brain injury, the brain is able to restructure its neurological pathways allowing for successful rehabilitation; this process is based on the phenomenon called neuroplasticity (Nudo, 2013).
Headway. (2016). Types of Brain Injury. Available from: https://www.headway.org.uk/about-brain-injury/individuals/types-of-brain-injury/ P., McGowan, T., Anderson, J., Strosahl, D. (2007). The Role of the Occupational Therapist on the Neuro-Rehabilitation Team. Acquired Brain Injury: An Integrative Neuro-Rehabilitation Approach. Online ISBN: 978-0-387-37575-5
Nudo, R. J. (2013). Recovery after brain injury: mechanisms and principles. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. 7: 887.
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