March is Brain Injury Awareness Month
Posted March 20, 2012 by Mandy Smith in Consumer Education
March is Brain Injury Awareness Month. You have probably been hearing more lately about brain injury, as soldiers return from Iraq and Afghanistan, as professional and school sports are looking more at preventing brain injuries, and with the recent high profile brain injury of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Here are some stats that you may not know.
- 1.7 million people in the US sustain a brain injury each year – 475,000 of those are children.
- 3.1 million individuals in the US live with a life-long disability as a result of brain injury.
- Each year in the US, 52,000 people will die, 275,000 will be hospitalized, and 1.365 will be treated an released from ERs.
- TBI is a contributing factor to 1/3 of all injury related deaths in the US each year.
- Among children 0-14 years old, brain injury resulted in 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 475,000 ER visits.
Were you surprised by these statistics? Many people do not realize the extent that Brain Injury impacts us in our communities and across the nation.
Brain injury can happen to anyone at anytime. The leading causes of brain injury are:
- Falls – 35.2%
- Motor Vehicle crashes/accidents – 17.3%
- Struck by/against events – 16.5%
- Assaults – 10%
The symptoms of brain injury can be overlooked if the person has other physical or mental issues presenting. Brain Injury Awareness advocates are working hard to make sure that places like ERs, Doctor’s offices, Law Enforcement facilities, social services agencies, and others are aware of the symptoms of brain injury and know how to refer someone to get the needed assessments. The Mayo Clinic has a great list of symptoms association with brain injuries from Mild to Severe.
While a lot is unknown about our brains and no two brain injuries are ever the same either in causation or symptomology, the experts agree that recovery is most effective when rehabilitation starts as soon as possible. Most people who sustain brain injuries will recover in a short period of time; however, sometimes even a “mild” brain injury can have lasting impact.
For more information about Brain Injury please visit the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City If you, or someone you love has a brain injury and are in need of in-home rehabilitation services through Medicaid, please contact us at 1-800-580-7245.
