Cognitive Challenges for Individuals with Traumatic Brain Injuries

When a person has a traumatic brain injury (TBI), they most likely have months or years of recovery ahead of them. This recovery period usually consists of a variety of different cognitive challenges that affect their lives in multiple ways. As a result, the individual may have a hard time carrying out their daily duties, working, and participating in activities and hobbies they once enjoyed.

The National Center for Biotechnology Information explains that individuals may have cognitive challenges if they have trouble thinking, gaining knowledge, remembering, paying attention, making decisions, judging, planning, and more. When an individual has a cognitive challenge, it is usually because they have a head, skull, or brain injury or some type of mental health condition.

Examples of cognitive challenges for individuals with TBIs

TBIs can cause individuals to experience several different minor and serious cognitive challenges, such as:

• Memory problems: For example, a person may no longer be able to remember another person’s name even though they see them often, remember something they recently read, or even remember something that they were told just a few minutes ago. This can lead to feeling hopeless and frustrated because the brain is having difficulties remembering new information.
• Attention deficits: Some of the attention deficits that people with TBIs often experience are difficulties paying attention, focusing, or concentrating. This can make it hard to work, attend classes, do homework, or even carry out daily obligations that require even a small amount of focus or concentration.
• Problem-solving issues: This means that individuals with TBIs may have trouble organizing and thinking about facts to come up with a solution to a problem. As a result, the individual may easily become angry, stressed, and overwhelmed when dealing with problems.
• Impaired empathy: When a person has impaired empathy, they are unable to understand or relate to other individuals’ feelings and behaviors. Therefore, they cannot put themselves in other people’s situations to try to understand how they feel. This can lead to issues with communicating and forming relationships with family, friends, coworkers, and more.
• Reasoning issues: An individual who lacks reasoning will often be confused, tense, and argue because they do not understand. This affects their ability to follow conversations and think clearly.
• Personality changes: For example, a person may become shallow, aggressive, impulsive, irritable, lack insight, develop obsessive compulsive disorder, and more.
• Mood swings: Mood swings can cause an individual to appear to be happy and content one minute. Then, a short time later, they may be confused or angry.
• Social isolation and socialization issues: Individuals who have these issues usually are withdrawn from people and struggle with communicating and socializing with others. As a result, they may not have close friends or relationships, which can cause loneliness.

Treatment options for cognitive challenges caused by a TBI

An individual who has been diagnosed with a cognitive impairment caused by a TBI may need medical treatment for several months or years after their accident. Their doctor will assess their symptoms to develop a treatment plan specifically for them. Some of the treatment options that may be offered include:

• Prescription medications: The doctor may prescribe certain medications to help with the side effects of a TBI, such as pain, anxiety, and depression. They can also prescribe medicine to improve your concentration and alertness.
• Occupational therapy: Individuals with cognitive challenges from a TBI may need help relearning how to care for themselves. An occupational therapist will teach you how to cook, bathe, dress yourself, and accomplish your daily tasks.
• Speech therapy: Since TBIs can cause speaking and communication issues, a speech therapist can be hired to help you relearn how to successfully form words, process information, and become a better communicator.
• Counseling: Counseling is very important for patients with TBIs and cognitive impairments. The reason for this is because these conditions are a lot to cope with, which causes individuals to become stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, and depressed. A psychologist can help you gain new coping skills and learn how to overcome your challenges.

What is a TBI and how do people get them?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury on a person’s brain that comes from hitting their head or being struck in the head by an object. A projectile that goes through the tissue of the brain, as can happen in a car crash or a shooting, can also lead to a TBI. These types of injuries are very serious and often result in life-long complications or even death. Therefore, if you have bumped your head on something and think that you might have a TBI, it is extremely important that you seek medical attention as quickly as possible. Here are some of the most common symptoms that may indicate that you have a TBI:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Feeling tired or drowsy
• Speech issues
• Inability to balance
• Feeling dizzy
• Blurry vision
• Ear ringing
• Light sensitivity
• Inability to focus
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep problems
• Increased irritability
• Memory issues

Types of accidents that lead to TBIs in Little Rock, AK

Individuals involved in various accidents may learn that they have a TBI. Some of the most common accidents that lead to these types of injuries are:

• Car accidents
• Motorcycle accidents
• Slip and falls
• Bicycle accidents
• Medical malpractice
• Truck accidents
• Pedestrian accidents
• Defective and faulty product accidents

If you are dealing with cognitive challenges from a TBI that was caused by someone else, contact a Little Rock, AK personal injury attorney from Bailey & Greer, PLLC as soon as possible. Our team believes in standing up for our clients and fighting for the compensation they are owed for their injuries. Therefore, we will thoroughly investigate your accident, identify who is responsible, and hold them accountable for your losses. Call our office or complete our contact form to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation at our firm today.