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Disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury (TBI) affect the lives of nearly 5.3 million Americans. TBI can happen to any one at any time. For children and adolescents in the United States, it is the most frequent cause of disability and death.

Public awareness of brain injury has grown significantly in the last twenty years. We are increasingly aware of ways to prevent brain injuries. Survival rates continue to increase, as does our knowledge of effective rehabilitation practices for survivors. The potential for people to regain skills and independences after TBI grows more promising.

For the child who survives TBI, however, medical recovery and the post-injury rehabilitation process are less predictable. The long-term impact of the injury is determined by several factors, including the developmental stage of the child at the time of injury. Once the injured child is released from a medical or rehabilitation facility, the provision of services becomes the primary responsibility of the schools. Schools are ultimately the largest provider of services to students with disabilities.

“Although TBI is very common, many medical and education professionals may not realize that some difficulties can be caused by a childhood brain injury. Often, students with TBI are thought to have a learning disability, emotional disturbance, or mental retardation. As a result, they don’t receive the type of educational help and support they really need.”

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY) Fact Sheet on Traumatic Brain Injury. http://www.nichcy.org/

Project BRAIN is a project of the Tennessee Disability Coalition. The Project is implemented through a contract with the Traumatic Brain Injury Program of the TN Health Department in partnership with the Tennessee Department of Education, Division of Special Education.