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Brain Development

Every brain injury is different, as is each child’s recovery. By understanding how the brain injury has affected your child, you can help keep your child safe and prevent another injury.

Just as your child’s body grows in leaps and spurts, so does your child’s brain. Scientists have found five phases of peak brain growth and development during childhood. They are the ages of: 1-6, 7-10, 11-13, 14 -17 and 18 -21. For each developmental stage, new skills are needed as school work becomes more complex, physical activities more demanding and social activities more involved. Parents and teachers can use these milestones to be alert for changes that may place the child at risk for another injury.

Sports and Play

Whether rough housing with friends or playing on a sports team, children who have had brain injuries are more prone to injuries including another brain injury. Sports such as football, gymnastics, wrestling, and ice hockey have the greatest risk for causing brain injury.

It is important that friends, parents, coaches, and teachers be aware of the signs and symptoms of brain injury. Some of the signs and symptoms may appear immediately after injury and others may not appear for several days or weeks. They include: confusion, disorientation, slurred or incoherent speech, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, light-headedness, persistent or severe headache, poor attention or concentration, memory problems, irritability or anxiety, easily fatigued or drowsy, blurry vision, ringing in the ears, intolerance to bright lights and loud noises, any loss of consciousness no matter how temporary, bleeding or clear fluid draining from nose or ears.