March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain #Injuries in America
Every 9 seconds, someone suffers a brain injury in the U.S., and one in sixty Americans lives with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) related disability. That equates to 5.3 million total who are affected by brain injuries in the U.S. alone. Most don’t realize how vulnerable the brain is until suffering a serious head injury. In fact, did you know the thinnest spots of an adult’s skull measure just .4mm in thickness – the same thickness of a credit card? Other parts of the skull thicken to 7mm, comparable to the width of an iPhone. Because the skull offers minimal protection to such an important organ, brain injury is a serious risk for anyone.

The most common reasons for brain injuries include:
Assault
Stroke
Disease
Drowning
Slips and falls
Car accidents
Sporting accidents
Trauma to the head
Electric shock/lightning strike
Dangerous drugs/substance abuse
Oxygen deprivation(hypoxia/anoxia)
Seizure disorder
Tumor
Each year, 2.5 million Americans sustain TBIs, 2.2 million are treated in emergency and trauma centers, another 280,000 are hospitalized and 50,000 lose their lives to head injuries. You may not personally know someone living with a brain injury, especially since the signs are not always obvious. With their prevalence, chances are you know someone who is indirectly affected by a brain injury. When critical injuries like these have lasting effects on a person, the surrounding community plays a significant role in helping him or her to heal and readjust.

Learning More About Brain Injuries

The most effective advocates are those who are well-informed, which is why brain injury awareness supporters focus heavily on education. Whether a person was born with it or acquired one later in life, brain injuries are unpredictable and often devastating. Here are a few basic facts about brain injuries:Brain Injuries can cause life-altering challenges, including physical, cognitive, emotional and behavioral changes.
Even mild brain injuries can result in disabilities that interfere with a person’s ability to lead a normal life.
No two brain injuries are exactly alike.
For many, dealing with a brain injury is a lifelong process.
#Brain injury recovery requires a multi-faceted treatment plan, combining support from clinicians and family members. Various treatment options are available, from hospital stays to rehabilitation, medications and more.
Resources in the form of support groups and educational programs are available for supporters, survivors and their families. The BIAA focuses on community-based treatments that help survivors establish connections with others living with similar injuries to remind them they are

#NotAlone.