Boston Child Brain Injury Blog

The primary difference between a traumatic brain injury and an acquired brain injury is that a traumatic brain injury is usually the result of force trauma outside the skull. An acquired brain injury is normally caused by widespread brain damage such as lack of oxygen, toxic substances, or chronic disease. 

Traumatic brain injury is caused by physical damage to the actual brain tissue such as an object striking the head, falling, or piercing of the skull. Traumatic brain injury includes such instances as diffuse axonal injury (also known as shaken baby syndrome) and concussion. This type of brain injury normally affects a specific portion of the brain and also commonly results from car accidents. 

Acquired brain injury is a widespread type of damage to the brain that affects the cells on a neuronal level. The most common form of an acquired brain injury is lack of oxygen caused by near-drowning or choking. Other causes include electrical shock, aneurysms, toxic substances, and diseases like meningitis. 

Both types of brain injury can cause long-term disability or death in children. If your child has suffered any type of brain injury, they may need life-long medical care or extensive therapy to lead a healthy, happy life. 

Contacting a Massachusetts Child Injury Lawyer  

If your child suffered a traumatic brain injury in Massachusetts as the result of the negligence of another, you and/or your child may be entitled to compensation to help with medical bills and ongoing medical treatments. To learn more about head trauma and other child injuries, order this free book, Dealing with a Nightmare: The Essential Steps to Take if Your Child Suffers a Serious Injury. The Massachusetts child injury lawyers at Kiley Law Group serve clients in the greater Boston area and will advocate for fair compensation for your child’s injuries. For a no cost evaluation of your child injury case, contact us today at 1-800-930-8145.

Recent statistics from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) report that of the estimated 1.7 million annual victims of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), nearly 52,000 die, 275,000 are hospitalized, and more than 1.3 million are treated and released from an emergency room. Of these 1.7 million victims, almost half a million are children ages 14 years and younger. 

Of the 511,257 estimated annual average number of TBI-related incidents from 2002 to 2006, the CDC found that children accounted for: 

• 473,947 emergency room visits;
• 35,136 hospitalizations; and
• 2,174 deaths. 

Children ages 0-4 years and adolescents ages 15-19 years are among two of the highest risk groups for sustaining a TBI. The risks are higher for males than females, and the highest rate of TBI-related emergency room visits come from males 0-4 years of age. 

Fortunately, about 75% of TBIs that occur annually are concussions or other mild forms of TBI. However, a TBI is still a significant concern, with 30.5% of all injury-related deaths listing a traumatic brain injury as a contributing factor. In children, falls account for more than 50% of traumatic brain injuries, with blunt trauma causing nearly 25%. 

As a concerned parent, you should be aware of the causes of traumatic brain injuries, as well as the signs and symptoms that accompany head trauma. In the event your child suffers serious injury that leads to a TBI, you may need the help of an Andover child injury lawyer to file a personal injury claim on your child’s behalf.  

Contacting a Massachusetts Child Injury Lawyer  

If your child suffered a traumatic brain injury in Massachusetts as the result of the negligence of another, you and/or your child may be entitled to compensation to help with medical bills and ongoing medical treatments. To learn more about child injuries, order this free book, Dealing with a Nightmare: The Essential Steps to Take if Your Child Suffers a Serious Injury. The Massachusetts child injury lawyers at Kiley Law Group serve clients in the greater Boston area and will advocate for fair compensation for your child’s injuries. For a no cost evaluation of your child’s injury case, contact us today at 1-800-930-8145.

One of a parent’s worst nightmares is that their child suffers a serious injury that leads to a traumatic brain injury. Unlike many other common child injuries, traumatic brain injuries are much more difficult to treat and can lead to permanent mental and physical impairment or even death. If your child has suffered injury because of the negligence of another, you should seek the advice of an Andover child injury lawyer to discuss your legal options.  

What causes a traumatic brain injury?

A traumatic brain injury can be caused by many types of common child accidents. There are 3 main types of injury that can lead to a traumatic brain injury: 

• When an outside force strikes your child’s head hard enough to cause the brain to move within the skull. 
• When an object pierces the skull and impacts the brain, or the skull itself breaks and impacts the brain. 
• When your child’s head is rapidly shaken back and forth and the brain moves within the skull, pulling apart nerve fibers and damaging brain tissue. 

These types of impact and movement are common from slip and falls, car accidents, and falling objects. In cases where your child was injured by the actions of another, you should consult an Andover child injury lawyer for help in filing a personal injury claim. 

Signs and Symptoms of a Traumatic Brain Injury 

Even a slight bump to the head can become a more severe injury if left untreated. In many child injury cases, a traumatic brain injury results from failure to receive adequate treatment after a head injury. You should consult with a doctor if your child shows any of the following symptoms after an accident: 

• Loss of consciousness;
• Dilated or unequal pupils;
• Blurred or double vision;
• Loss of eye movement or blindness;
• Dizziness or problems balancing;
• Difficulty or inability to breathe;
• Paralysis or numbness/tingling in extremities;
• Vomiting;
• Fatigue or lethargy;
• Headaches;
• Confusion or difficulty concentrating;
• Ringing in the ears or other hearing problems;
• Emotional or behavioral changes; and
• Difficulty controlling bowel functions. 

After any serious accident involving your child it is best to have them evaluated by a medical professional regardless of their symptoms. Untreated traumatic brain injuries can lead to serious, life-long complications. 

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Complications from a Traumatic Brain Injury 

No two head injuries are alike, and therefore there are many different effects your child may or may not experience after suffering a traumatic brain injury. In the case of long-term disability, your Andover child injury lawyer can help you estimate the lifelong care he or she will need and include those damages in your request for compensation in a personal injury claim. 

Depending on the nature of the traumatic brain injury as well as the severity of the damage, your child may experience any of the following long-term complications: 

• Physical impairment – Paralysis of any or all parts of the body, numbness or tingling in limbs, decrease in motor skills or range-of-motion, and difficulty balancing.
• Speech impairment – Difficulty or inability to talk, including stuttering, muteness, and slurred speech.
• Mental impairment – Memory lapses, amnesia, learning disabilities, confusion, and difficulty concentrating.
• Emotional changes – Difficulty with anger management, mood swings, depression, stress management issues, and apathy. 

Some of these complications may be treated through physical or psychological therapy, but there is no “cure” for a traumatic brain injury. In severe cases, a traumatic brain injury can cause epilepsy as well as increase the risk for brain disorders later in life such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. 

Contacting a Massachusetts Child Injury Lawyer  

If your child suffered a traumatic brain injury in Massachusetts because of the negligence of another, you and/or your child may be entitled to compensation to help with medical bills and ongoing medical treatments. For more information on child injuries, order this free book, Dealing with a Nightmare: The Essential Steps to Take if Your Child Suffers a Serious Injury. The Massachusetts child injury lawyers at Kiley Law Group serve clients in the greater Boston area and will advocate for fair compensation for your child’s injuries. For a no cost evaluation of your child’s injury case, contact us today at 1-800-930-8145.