Meeting the Needs of Students with a Traumatic Brain Injury
Meeting the Needs of Students with a Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents, with an annual incidence estimated at 180 cases per 100,000 children between the ages of 1 and 15 in the United States (Yeates,2005).Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are defined in the special education law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 1990) as being an “injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment” that affects a child 's educational performance (Cave,2004). Knowing that, students learning needs are different from students with other exceptionalities (Spear,2005). General and special education teachers need to use a variety of specific strategies based on learning styles and certain resources, with students who have experienced a TBI, to promote learning in all subject areas. A TBI alters a child’s mind and changes the way he or she thinks. Teachers must be aware of this and know how to adapt in order to accommodate their needs in the classroom. TBI’s change cognition and behavior in students and no two students with traumatic brain injury will display the same characteristics (Spear,2005). Students who have sustained a head injury may experience problems in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial areas.
Physical effects With regard to physical deficits, individuals with TBI may have an array of problems ranging from sensory deficits to difficulty with mobility. Headaches and fatigue are common, especially during the early stages of recovery (Bullock,2005). Their muscles may be “weak, hypotonic, or spastic,” which could interfere with learning activities such as writing and keyboarding. They may also experience seizures. In general, schools are more proficient at making physical accommodations for students.
Cognitive Effects Cognitive difficulties are common following a
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are a leading cause of death and disability among children and adolescents, with an annual incidence estimated at 180 cases per 100,000 children between the ages of 1 and 15 in the United States (Yeates,2005).Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) are defined in the special education law in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 1990) as being an “injury to the brain caused by an external physical force, resulting in total or partial functional disability or psychosocial impairment” that affects a child 's educational performance (Cave,2004). Knowing that, students learning needs are different from students with other exceptionalities (Spear,2005). General and special education teachers need to use a variety of specific strategies based on learning styles and certain resources, with students who have experienced a TBI, to promote learning in all subject areas. A TBI alters a child’s mind and changes the way he or she thinks. Teachers must be aware of this and know how to adapt in order to accommodate their needs in the classroom. TBI’s change cognition and behavior in students and no two students with traumatic brain injury will display the same characteristics (Spear,2005). Students who have sustained a head injury may experience problems in physical, cognitive, and psychosocial areas.
Physical effects With regard to physical deficits, individuals with TBI may have an array of problems ranging from sensory deficits to difficulty with mobility. Headaches and fatigue are common, especially during the early stages of recovery (Bullock,2005). Their muscles may be “weak, hypotonic, or spastic,” which could interfere with learning activities such as writing and keyboarding. They may also experience seizures. In general, schools are more proficient at making physical accommodations for students.
Cognitive Effects Cognitive difficulties are common following a
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