Your brain continues to develop into your mid-20s. It also matures significantly during your early years and throughout adolescence. As a child gets older, they develop essential cognitive functions that will help them throughout their life, such as solving problems and making decisions. They also learn to understand their emotions and what it takes to build relationships. When their brain experiences damage, that development is often impacted. The good news is that proper rehabilitation and programs can make a difference.
Pediatric cases of traumatic brain injuries refer to any damage, from birth to 18 years old, that was caused by an external force to the head, such as a fall or sports injury. They can cause physical, cognitive, behavioral and emotional symptoms that interfere with your child’s growth milestones and overall quality of life.
When a child sustains a traumatic brain injury (TBI), there are a variety of rehabilitation treatments and supportive programs that can help them reduce and manage their symptoms. The right options will restore as much of their independence as possible while working toward the future they want.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss a variety of rehabilitation and program options that can help traumatic brain injuries in pediatrics. Then we’ll dive into the specifics of how Ability KC can help young patients with TBIs.
Rehabilitation and programs that can help pediatric cases of traumatic brain injuries
Falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries for all ages. For ages 0-14, approximately half of TBIs are caused by falls. It’s followed by being struck by or with an object (24.8%) and motor vehicle accidents (6.8%). Some cases may be mild with temporary symptoms, known as concussions. Others may be more severe and lead to long-term impacts.
If your child sustains a traumatic brain injury, you should immediately seek medical assistance to assess the severity. You can work with your child’s doctors to figure out what treatment options may be the most beneficial for minimizing the long-term impact.
Here are some rehabilitation options and programs that are worth considering for pediatric cases of traumatic brain injuries, depending on the needs and challenges of your child:
- Physical therapy
Physical symptoms, such as mobility and balance issues, can stem from a TBI. These challenges come from damage to the vestibular system and cerebellum, which play a role in movement patterns. A physical therapist can help improve a child’s ability to walk effectively and independently after a TBI through a variety of approaches, including:
- Gait training (the positioning of one’s body as one moves)
- Leg strengthening exercises
- Balance exercises
- Vestibular rehabilitation
- Occupational therapy
Your child may be used to completing certain everyday tasks on their own (or they’re in the process of learning). Examples include getting dressed, bathing and using eating utensils. A traumatic brain injury can interfere with their ability to complete their daily routines. The trauma can affect their memory and concentration.
Occupational therapy helps children to continue developing their own independent routines throughout the day by:
- Practicing essential tasks
- Doing activities to improve memory, concentration and problem-solving
- Learning to adapt to different environments
- Behavioral therapy
The brain is the control center for the rest of the body. Following an injury like TBI, the symptoms go beyond physical symptoms. TBI can also affect a child’s emotional and mental well-being. These cognitive function challenges can make it hard to regulate emotions and effectively manage stressors.
Behavioral therapy can address a child’s negative behaviors and thoughts that may be impacting their overall well-being. An effective type of therapy after a pediatric TBI is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). CBT can help a child readjust the negative thought and behavior patterns that can contribute to:
- Challenges with social interactions
- Lack of self-awareness
- Emotional dysregulation
- Difficulty relaxing or handling stress
- Recreational therapy
Taking care of every aspect of your child’s well-being can play an important role in helping them move along the TBI recovery journey. That often involves letting them just be a kid and do what they enjoy. Recreational therapy helps children with traumatic brain injuries through activities that can have a positive impact on their physical, mental and emotional health.
Recreational therapy focuses on recreational and leisure activities that can help children recover from traumatic brain injuries by:
- Restoring motor functions
- Reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression
- Boosting self-esteem
- Support groups
Any type of significant life change, such as your child sustaining a traumatic brain injury, can affect the entire family. The right counseling and support services can help your family process what happened, learn how to support your child on their recovery journey and take care of your own mental health needs.
In a support group for parents with children in rehabilitation for TBIs, you can do the following:
- Discuss difficult experiences with people who can relate to you
- Validate your emotions
- Develop coping skills that have worked for others
- Educational programs
While a TBI is a big challenge for your child, you want it to have as little of an impact on their current and future academic success as possible. By working with your child’s school, you can determine if there are possible accommodations that can be made for their physical, mental and emotional needs.
Your child may qualify for an Individualized Education Program (IEP), which provides specialized services and instruction for students with disabilities.
How Ability KC helps children with traumatic brain injuries
The right rehabilitation can help children continue to grow and develop as much as possible after a traumatic brain injury. The goal is to help them recognize what they’re capable of achieving. They can also establish a strong sense of self and develop the skills necessary that can help them for years to come.
At Ability KC, we provide outpatient pediatric medical rehabilitation. We can help children who have experienced a traumatic brain injury gain confidence in their capabilities and continue to reach for their goals.
Our pediatric programs include:
- Outpatient therapy — We help with every aspect of your child’s injury. We provide recreational therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy. The goal is to help improve their overall mobility and functioning that have been impacted by the TBI.
- Therapeutic preschool — The Mary Shaw Branton Therapeutic Preschool can help children up to 5 years old reach their full potential while living with a disability. Here, children receive medical, therapeutic and educational services in an inclusive setting.
- Neuropsychology services — Neuropsychology services can provide emotional support for both your child and your family, allowing you to process the complex feelings that come from a TBI and learn coping mechanisms to manage them.
- Education — When your child returns to school, we can work as a liaison between you and their school to set up possible accommodations and advocate for what your child needs to succeed academically.
The types of rehabilitation treatments and programs can vary from child to child. No two children have the same needs and challenges. We create individualized treatment plans for every patient by considering the severity of their TBI as well as their strengths, weaknesses and overall goals for rehabilitation.
Ability KC is a designated Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facility (CORF). We also have a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) accreditation. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment. You can also fill out our Build Your Plan questions designed to help our team better understand your needs and assist you in figuring out your next steps with us.