Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles are reporting that severe head injuries in children can impact a child's mental functioning for years. The findings, part of a new research review of 28 studies published in the last two decades, include:
• While children that sustained mild head injuries or mild brain injuries experienced minor, often "negligible" differences in attention, memory, and verbal ability in the short term than other children their age, the long-term outlook for kids who sustained moderate or serious brain injuries was not as positive.
• For months following a moderate brain injury, these injured children were behind other kids their age when it came to brain processing speed, problem solving, memory, and other intellectual measures. Two years after their moderate brain injuries, these kids exhibited some improvements but were still behind their peers. Children that sustained serious brain injuries fell even more behind their peers as time passed.
More details about this study can be found in the May issue of Neuropsychology.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that traumatic brain injuries continue to be a leading cause of disability and death in young kids and adolescents. As a parent, not only can it be devastating to realize that your child will never be able to live a normal life because he or she has a traumatic brain injury, but it can be traumatic to know that your child's TBI could have been avoided and your son or daughter may have lived a normal life if only another party had not behaved negligently or carelessly. Common causes of traumatic brain injuries that may be grounds for Orange County, California personal injury or wrongful death claims include:
• Strangulation accidents caused by defective consumer products
• Other kinds of medical malpractice
• Fall accidents
• Accidents or crimes involving firearms
Caring for a child with a traumatic brain injury can be very expensive, and these costs may increase as your son or daughter grows up and his or her needs change. An experienced Orange County, California traumatic brain injury law firm will have the experience, resources, and network of experts necessary to determine how much it will cost to help your child live with a traumatic brain injury and get the proper care that he or she needs.
Effects of child head injuries can last for years, Reuters, May 29, 2009
Traumatic Brain Injury Haunts Children for Years, OpposingViews.com, May 26, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Living with Brain Injury, Brain Injury Association of America
Our Anaheim personal injury lawyers are experienced in helping families with kids suffering from catastrophic injuries obtain the maximum recovery they are owed.
