Acquired brain Injury is the 4th leading cause of disability in Canada.
More than 50,000 Canadians sustain a brain injury each year.
Hundreds of thousands of men women and children with ABI live in Ontario without the supports they desperately need. Brain injury Survivors are often mislabelled, misdiagnosed and misunderstood.*
Definition
Acquired brain injury is damage to the brain that occurs after birth from traumatic or non traumatic events. It is not a degenerative condition like Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s.
An acquired brain injury can be a result of falls, collisions, assaults, concussion, stroke, tumours, anoxia, meningitis.
Brain Injury Survivors May Complain of:
Cognitive difficulties associated with:
• Attention/Concentration
• Memory
• Orientation
• Decision-making
• Problem-solving
• New learning
Physical Symptoms:
• Headaches
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Uneven gait
• Nausea
• Visual disturbances (e.g. blurring)
• Seizures
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Changes in eating habits
Behavioural changes:
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Emotional/impulse control difficulties
• Reduced initiative and motivation
*Ontario Alliance for Action on Brain Injury.