Definition acquired brain Injury

"Acquired brain injury is brain injury resulting from any cause other than that occurring around or because of birth, which leads to an irreversible break in the lifeline and to the need for assistance".

Acquired Brain Injury - ABI

ABI (Acquired brain injury) is the collective name for damage to the brain that has occurred during life. Acquired brain injury is not a medical diagnosis.
The striking thing is the often clear difference between the situation before the brain injury and the situation after the brain injury. It leads to a break in the life line. After the brain injury, everything in life is different.

 

Classification of brain injury

Non-congenital brain injury is classified according to causes. Damage to the brain can occur due to many causes. For example, a traffic accident, violence, brain tumor, meningitis, oxygen deficiency, stroke, etc.

The first distinction is made between traumatic brain injury
and non-traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injury means that the injury was caused by violence or external force, such as an accident or a fall. Non-traumatic brain injury means that the brain injury was caused by a condition or disease.

In the Netherlands, degenerative diseases are also considered brain injury, such as MS, Parkinson's, etc.

If the brain injury occurred before birth or around birth, it is considered congenital brain injury. 

On our website you can find several pages about congenital brain injury.

 

We tried to describe as many causes as possible on our website.

It is striking that the consequences often correspond, despite the different causes. We also tried to describe many consequences. There are similarities between people with damage in a specific brain area. We also described the consequences per brain area.

 

Phases of brain injury

The acute phase includes the period from the first days to weeks after the onset of the brain injury. The subacute phase is the period up to three (maximum 6 months) months. After that, it is called the chronic phase.

 

Every brain injury is different

Despite the fact that many consequences are similar, it is important to realize that every brain injury is different!
Brain injury is not a simple list of characteristics. Every person is unique. Every brain injury is unique.

Character traits can sometimes be strengthened by brain injury. However, the negative image of people with brain injury as portrayed in the media often does not correspond to reality.

Keep an eye on the unique person behind the person, for the gifts and talents that can possibly still be used.
Keep an eye on the specific need and grief for what is no longer possible, and take the time to read up on it, for example via this website, in order to understand the person with brain injury, even if only a little. See the person!

Brain injury... it can happen to anyone.

 

Brain injury + Brain injury ++

Brain injury + stands for dual problems. That is brain injury with... for example psychological problems or an addiction or...
In the Netherlands, it is estimated that approximately 500 people live with complex brain injury (brain injury +). Brain injury + occurs when there is a complex combination of disorders that are directly or indirectly related to brain damage and that can be somatic, psychiatric or social.
The burden exceeds the carrying capacity, so that the client and his or her immediate environment must make an exceptional and long-term appeal to multiple care specialisms.

 

More information:

The Netherlands: https://kenniscentrumnahplus.nl/nieuws/

The US:  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2536546/