A different BEAT: Brain injury and post-traumatic care

He also sustained bone fractures, in his left arm and leg. When he woke up, he could not recognise his wife. He was shouting obscenities and remained agitated for days.

His wife was afraid of him, an otherwise gentle person and loving father of two. His sleeping habits were erratic. He refused to eat and he spat at anyone who came near.

He tried to get out of bed several times a day and his speech was incoherent at times. He had to be restrained for his own safety.

This continued for a few more days before he slowly began to calm down. However, he continued to be confused for several weeks more.

He slowly became more aware of his surroundings and was finally able to recognise his wife and family. He could not recall what had happened to him. He could not remember anything about the accident nor his erratic behaviour.

What he went through was not a form of insanity but, a common reaction following traumatic brain injury, known as post traumatic amnesia or PTA.

TEMPORARY IMPAIRMENT

Post traumatic amnesia is a temporary cognitive impairment thats common among traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.

It is a state during which patients are neither encoding nor retaining any new information and experiences, and can last from a few moments to several weeks and even months after TBI.

During this cognitive state, a patients behaviour is irrational and impulsive, with poor memory recollection, poor social conduct and complete disregard of his and others safety.

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A different BEAT: Brain injury and post-traumatic care