Silent Signs of a TBI: Why You Need a Doctor

Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a very serious condition that can occur at any time there is an injury involving the head. Head injuries and brain injuries are two different types of injuries, and you do not have to suffer from both to have one or the other.

 

TBI has been classified into three categories. A Personal Injury Attorney in Pasadena, CA lists some examples of each category on their website. Each of these categories has their own signs and symptoms. It should be noted that moderate and severe TBI can have lasting impacts on the victim’s life.

 

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury. This type of injury usually involves a concussion. The person did not have to be rendered unconscious to receive an injury, and the head does not have to be physically damaged. In most cases, these injuries occur from violent shaking of the head, such as during the impact of a vehicle accident. Symptoms include dizziness, vomiting, loss of memory, difficulty concentrating, and irritability without justification.

 

Moderate Traumatic Brain Injury. To be classified as a moderate case of TBI, the victim must have been knocked unconscious and remained that way for up to one full day. There are serious side effects that last for months associated with this problem. All the symptoms mentioned above are prolonged, and there is a noticeable problem with anger issues and uncontrolled emotions. Moderate TBI victims become easily confused and may also have physical impairments due to the brain trauma. There may also be issues with loss of vision from time to time.

 

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. This type of brain injury usually occurs with physical m to the head. Severe TBI victims can loose mobility at times, have sensory malfunctions, lose ability to see, hear, or taste things at different intervals and without warning. Severe TBI usually causes lasting physical issues and most sufferers have a very hard time controlling their emotions. They are prone to anger problems and often have to be restrained or medicated to control these temper problems.

 

It is very important to note that TBI can be a lasting issue, even in mild form. Flare ups of these problems can continue to occur for weeks, months, even the rest of their lives depending on severity. They can also flare up after long periods of no symptoms.

 

TBI symptoms are often overlooked because the victim does not complain about a headache or about feeling dizzy when they stand up. They may thin that the food they ate was just awful instead of realizing that their sense of taste is gone. They may even believe they are imagining the problems. The cue that everyone should watch for is the anger and irrational emotions. This is usually a signal that they need help.

 

 

Anyone who has been involved in an accident or has been diagnosed with a concussion or other brain or head injury should be carefully monitored for these signs of TBI. It will be necessary for a loved one to spot the signs and take them for immediate medical care because the scariest part of TBI is that the victim often does not understand what is happening.

 

An avid follower of Tripp Halstead, a little boy who suffered a TBI from a fallen branch, Melanie Fleury was inspired to write this article to educate others on the types of traumatic brain injury. She searched the site of a Personal Injury Attorney in Pasadena, CA to learn more about common head injuries and how they are treated.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arenamontanus/2103003787/

Categories: brain injury, head injuries, injury attorney, nbsp tbi, pasadena ca, personal injury, severe tbi, signs, silent, TBI, tbi victims, traumatic brain

Top 5 Ways to Prevent a Head Injury in Your Infant

As a parent of an infant, you may wonder what you can do to keep your baby as safe as possible. Along with making sure your baby eats, wets diapers as he or she should, and gets enough sleep at night, you can also safeguard your infant by knowing how to prevent infant head injuries. You might believe that head injuries are restricted for adults and older children; however, infants can and sometimes do fall victim to accidents that result in either external or internal skull injuries. You can learn what to do to make sure this injury does not befall your baby by taking these suggestions into consideration.

 

1) Control Your Infant’s Head

This suggestion sounds comical; however, it is also necessary for you to control your baby’s head, particularly during his or her early infancy. Babies do not have good head and neck control during early infancy. Their heads are too heavy for their bodies to support.

 

A baby whose head is allowed to loll back and forth could hit his or her head on the floor or a crib railing, resulting in an injury. You can prevent this injury by supporting your baby’s head while you hold him or her, as well as laying your baby on a padded blanket while he or she is on the floor or in the crib.

 

 

2) Keep Your Baby Away from Heavy Objects

You may think nothing of laying your baby on the floor in front of the TV stand or in front of a bookcase. However, if the stand or case falls over, it will land on your baby and hurt him or her. Many babies are hurt each year by falling objects. A book falling off a case or a figurine falling from a shelf can significantly injure an infant. You should avoid putting your baby near such fixtures.

 

 

3) Watch Older Siblings

If you have a baby and a toddler in your house, the toddler’s curiosity about the baby may inadvertently lead to the baby being hurt. While your toddler may not mean to hurt your infant, he or she may throw something or hit the baby and cause the baby to suffer a head injury.

 

Many babies are hurt each year because of an older toddler sibling inadvertently acting out against the infant. While your children are young, they should be properly supervised, and your toddler should be told as much as possible to be nice to the baby rather than hitting or throwing things at the infant.

 

 

4) Use Car Seats

This tip also seems absurd, given how much a public awareness push there has been lately regarding the proper use of car seats for infants. Even so, many parents brush off these warnings and instead put their babies on their laps or in the front seat while they drive. You can prevent your baby sustaining a head injury by using a car seat every time you and your baby get in a car.

 

 

5) Protect Against Shaken Baby Syndrome

While you may never hurt your baby, other people could put your baby at risk if they shake the infant. If your spouse, partner, child, babysitter, or anyone else shakes your baby, your infant could suffer irreversible brain injuries.

 

You should educate yourself, your family, and everyone who comes into contact with your infant about shaken baby syndrome. This suggestion cannot be understated. Babies die every year because they are shaken by someone who is supposed to love and care for them.

 

 

Better Safe than Sorry

If you are in an accident, if your baby falls or otherwise has sustained an injury, seek medical attention. According to manhattanaccidentattorneys.net, what you think is a minor accident can actually be much more serious than you think. Brain injuries often do not show symptoms. It is very important to visit a doctor if you are in any situation where you think your baby may have been hurt.

 

These ideas can help you safeguard your baby’s health. You can follow these suggestions to protect your infant against internal and external head injuries.

 

 

Writer Melanie Fleury is the mother of four children and has been involved in an accident with all four in the car. While there were no visual injuries to her family, she made sure to follow up with a doctor to ensure that her children were injury free. The attorneys at manhattanaccidentattorneys.net stress that a injury can often take time before symptoms start to surface. Make sure to seek proper medical attention as soon as possible.

 

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/footloosiety/5465554441/

Categories: baby syndrome, car seats, early infancy, head injuries, head injury, infant, injuries nbsp, medical attention, nbsp nbsp, prevent, shaken baby

Head Case: How Motorcycle Helmets Help Save Lives

The feel of the wind rushing through your hair as you cruise down the open highway on your motorcycle is exhilarating. You feel free and uninhibited. There’s nothing that can compare to the experience. However, freedom often comes with a price that many are not willing to pay.

 

Motorcycle accidents are often more serious than regular automobile accidents because there is less machinery to protect the driver. Additionally, those who decide to skip the helmet so they can feel the wind in their hair, often suffer severe head trauma during an accident—or worse.

 

Motorcycle riders should be aware of some sobering statistics before they set out to ride without protection:

 

• According to figures issued in a 2012 study by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), motorcycle drivers have a 67 percent higher chance of surviving a motorcycle accident if they wear helmets. Passengers wearing helmets increase their chances of survival by 69 percent.

 

• States that do not have universal helmet laws for all riders have seen a 55 percent increase in fatal motorcycle accidents and traumatic brain injuries. (Same CDC study).

 

• Contrary to popular belief, motorcycle helmets do not impair vision or hearing. It’s an urban legend that the driver cannot hear oncoming traffic when wearing a helmet.

 

Some states don’t have universal helmet laws. Indiana, for example, is one that currently doesn’t. At this time, only those people 18 and younger, or those with a learner’s permit, are required to wear a helmet when operating a motorcycle in that state.

 

Wearing a helmet is only the first line of defense when riding a motorcycle. Indianapolis personal injury attorney Randy Sevenish, a rider himself, states that even the most experienced rider, wearing full protection, must constantly be on the lookout for negligent drivers or dangerous road hazards.

 

Helmet Construction

Motorcycle helmets come in many different styles, but their construction is similar. A helmet consists of an outer shell, made from a durable material, and an inner lining constructed from shock absorbing materials.

 

The law in many states (including Indiana) requires that anyone operating a motorcycle must use protective eye wear. When looking for a helmet, you may want to opt for one that has a face guard. This eliminates the need for goggles, and provides extra facial protection in the event of an accident.

 

When purchasing a helmet, you should look for one that is DOT certified. This certification means that the materials used in the construction of the helmet are the best choice for your protection. Vintage helmets should be avoided, as they may not meet these certification standards.

 

If You Are Injured While Driving a Motorcycle

In Indiana, regardless of whether you choose to wear a helmet or go bare headed, if you are injured in a motorcycle accident and you are not at fault you may be entitled to specific compensation under law.

 

It’s important that, once you’ve been treated and your injuries stabilized, you contact a personal injury attorney about the accident. A competent attorney can evaluate the accident and determine what forms of compensation you are entitled to. Compensation could cover medical costs, lost wages, extended medical care and even pain and suffering.

 

It’s a wonderful experience to own and drive a motorcycle. There’s something about the entire wind-in-your-hair thing that can really get your blood pumping. You can enjoy all the freedom a motorcycle has to offer however, while increasing your chances of surviving an accident, just by choosing to wear a helmet.

 

Freelance writer Richard Freeland contributes this article for veteran motorcyclists as well as those thinking about joining the ranks of motorcycle riding enthusiasts. Sevenish Law is an Indianapolis personal injury attorney firm committed to diligently fight for the rights of motorcyclists injured in accidents while pursuing their passion.

Categories: head injuries, health concerns, helmet laws, helmet nbsp, indianapolis personal, injury attorney, motorcycle accident, motorcycle accidents, motorcycle helmet, motorcycle helmets