Tip Cards on Brain Injury in Adults and Veterans

Sample packet of tip cards on brain injury in adults covers helping families, concussion, trauma, medication, communication, behavior, social skills, substance abuse, sexuality, community integration, college and working.

Information on brain injury treatment with tips for families, caregivers, veterans and clinicians on the causes, symptoms, treatment and recovery of adults with acquired brain injury due to internal and external causes. Using clear language for families and caregivers, this tip card describes treatment of: traumatic brain injury (TBI), anoxia (hypoxia), stroke or cardiovascular accidents (CVA), aneurysm, toxemia, viruses and bacterial infections in the brain.

Seeing a spouse, parent, child or sibling who is in a brain injury coma can be frightening and stressful for family members, friends and visitors. This tip card explains how a person may look and respond during various levels of coma. It gives practical suggestions for families as they wait and watch for changes in alertness and responsiveness.

Many survivors of brain injury have seizures immediately after the injury or over time. Common questions of families, survivors and caregivers are answered about the causes, types and treatment of seizures after acquired brain injury.

Post traumatic headache is a common complaint and symptom after head trauma or brain injury. This tip card explains various causes and types of headaches after a concussion, traumatic brain injury, head trauma or neck injury. It discusses options for treatment with tips for talking with your doctor about headaches after trauma.

Medications can affect children and adults differently after a brain injury. They can help treat some effects of brain trauma. This tip card helps families, caregivers and clinicians understand reasons for using some medications along with possible benefits and side effects. It is helpful for discussions with your physician.

Information guide helps families, survivors and clinicians understand the effects of an head injury to the brain and reactions to medications after head trauma. Gives tips for discussing medication with a physician when a person has a TBI. 

Concussion is a mild brain injury but it is not a minor condition as it is caused by trauma to the brain. This tip card describes the early and late symptoms of concussion including physical, cognitive, sensory, social, communicative and behavioral signs. This tip card includes an 8 week checklist to monitor symptoms and track recovery.

Undiagnosed brain injuries can have many consequences for youths. The signs and symptoms of a traumatic brain injury or concussion in youths and adults are often missed or overlooked if there is no visible injury or immediate loss of consciousness. This tip card provides checklists for identifying physical, cognitive, behavioral and social changes that may indicate a possible undiagnosed brain injury or concussion. It gives tips on questions to ask and information to gather in order to seek help and treatment.

This Tip card is included in the PTSD Tool Kit for Veterans and Families.

A tip card for clinicians, families, survivors and veterans describes the causes, signs, symptoms and effects of Blast Injury and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is often seen in service members and veterans exposed to blast injuries but can also occur in civilians hurt in car crashes, natural disasters and other life threatening events.

This Tip card is included in the PTSD Tool Kit for Veterans and Families.