Thursday, March 26, 2009
What: March is Brain Injury Month, a time to raise awareness of an important and often overlooked health issue that impacts more than 5.3 million Americans living with a disability sustained from a brain injury. A traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is caused by a blow or jolt to the head, can leave permanent damage and disability making every day activities difficult for brain injury survivors.
How: The leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are falls at 28 percent, motor vehicle crashes which account for one in five TBIs, being struck by or against a person or object and assault. The two age groups at highest risk for TBI are infants to four year olds and 15 to 19 year olds
Why: Every 21 seconds, a traumatic brain injury occurs in the United States. Traumatic brain injuries can be lethal, as seen in the recent and tragic death of celebrity Natasha Richardson, but for survivors many barriers can exist including the ability to think, as well as troubles with language, learning, memory, emotions, behavior and more.
Presbyterian Rehabilitation Center - Charlotte offers a Stroke and Neurological Rehabilitation Program to help those afflicted by TBIs achieve greater independence and management of health needs with the goal of improving their overall quality of life. Our interdisciplinary team, which serves the many needs those afflicted by brain injuries have, includes a registered nurse, a physical therapist, an occupational therapist, a speech language pathologist and a psychologist. To learn more, contact Presbyterian Rehabilitation Center Charlote at 704-316-1900.
