This article focuses on the impact of brain injury on families of children and adolescents. It involves an unscientific study of nine families whose youngsters sustained brain injuries ranging from 3.5 to 17 years of age at the time of injury. Eight of the nine injuries were in a severe impairment range while one was a mild brain injury with loss of consciousness of less than 10 min. The individuals with brain injuries in this study are currently 15-32 years of age. The injuries resulted from motor vehicle crashes, biking, falls, and organized sports programs. Eight of the nine participants were living in two parent homes at the time of injury, the ninth parent was a widow. Currently two additional mothers are widowed. This article supports the need for increased dialogue and more productive communication between parents and those providing services, and greater access to community support systems over the life span of individuals with brain injuries.
Keywords: Children; Families; Practical strategies; Traumatic brain injury.