Injuries more common, difficult than assumed

CARBONDALE This month is recognized as Brain Injury Awareness Month as Brain Injury Association of Illinois gets the word out about the traumatic and devastating affects that brain injuries have on society, as well as whats available in treatment and rehabilitation.

A traumatic brain injury is a blow, jolt or bump to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain. The most common causes of are vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries and violence. Other causes include medical events such as loss of oxygen to the brain, aneurysms, infec-tions, tumors or stroke.

Many times such as cases where people suffer concussions in sports or recreational activities, the TBI goes untreated or is not diagnosed.

People will say, I wasnt knocked unconscious or was not hospitalized. The diagnosis test may come out negative, said the associations executive director, Philicia L. Deckard. Concussions are brain injuries. Its hard for people to understand that. Each case has its own set of different impairments.

A brain injury can happen to anyone, anytime and anywhere.

Data released by the association can raise awareness as to how traumatic and devastating brain injuries have become. Its say the cost runs about $76 billion annually for medical costs and indirect costs, such as loss of productivity.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2009, 3.17 million Americans or 1 percent of the nations population currently live with disabilities resulting from a brain injury. In Illinois alone, there are more than 250,000 people living with brain injury debilitation, Deckard said.

Motor vehicle accidents are the chief culprit, causing 44 percent of brain injuries. Falls account for 26 percent. Assaults and firearms register 17 percent. Sports and recreation at 13 percent, according to the CDC.

Rehabilitation from brain injuries is available. Carbondale has the distinction of having offered the first dedicated after-hospital rehabilitation program in the country beginning in 1977 with the founding of Center for Comprehensive Services by then-SIU professor Kathleen Fralish of Carbondale and col-leagues.

The center has now become part of the NeuroRestorative network that offers a full array of brain injury rehabilitation services including those for caregiver families in 19 states.

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Injuries more common, difficult than assumed