- 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.