Action for Brain Injury Week
28/03/2008
The behaviour of people suffering from brain injuries can often be mistaken for laziness, rudeness or non co-operation.
‘Action for Brain Injury Week’ took place from March 31 to April 6. Tthe Gloucestershire Head Injury Team made the most of the opportunity to raise awareness of the types of problems that can affect sufferers.
The three most common causes of brain injuries are road accidents, falls and assaults and these can affect people of any age; the two peak groups being young men aged between 15 and 29 and elderly people.
Brain injuries are often accompanied by other, often more obvious, physical problems and it is not always apparent that aspects of a patient’s behaviour are caused by something that has happened to their head.
“Often people’s actions are misunderstood,” explained clinical psychologist Dr Andy Champion. “Brain injuries can have many consequences, some of which can be confused with laziness, rudeness or non co-operation. “An injury to the front of the brain can affect the ability to inhibit behaviour.
“People may say things that are out of character, that before the brain injury they would never have even considered.“They may even touch people inappropriately: this is because the mechanisms underlying sexual disinhibition are vulnerable to brain injury.”
Dr Champion highlighted the importance of treating people with brain injuries as early as possible. “On a number of occasions we have seen people a few years down the line whom we could have helped earlier,” he said. “I hope that Action for Brain Injury Week will help to raise awareness of brain injuries and to remind people to contact the Head Injury Team at the Gloucestershire Royal Hospital if there are any signs of such an injury so that any symptoms can be managed.”
For more information please contact Susan Bradley, Communications Specialist on 08454 224722 or email susan.bradley@glos.nhs.uk
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