preview

Traumatic Brain Injury Research Paper

Best Essays

AAC In Children with Traumatic Brain Injuries

Cassie M. Meche

Southern University and A&M College

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION 3
BACKGROUND 4-5
LITERATURE REVIEW 5-6
DISCUSSION AND SUMMARY 6
LIMITATIONS 7
SCOPE OF PRACTICE 7
WHAT I LEARNED 8
RESOURCES 8
REFERENCES 9

Introduction:

A TBI occurs when one has sustained tremendous and sudden amount of brain damage (American Speech- Language - Hearing Association, 2015). Brain injuries are classified as open or closed injuries depending on if the skull has been penetrated (American Speech- Language - Hearing Association, 2015). The leading causes of TBI’s include: falls, motor vehicle and pedestrian- related accidents, collision- …show more content…

In children, who experience this type of injury, it can be a very life changing experience, which can lead to a long road of recovery. In the early stages of recovery, children may not use speech or it may be limited because of neurological difficulty (Fager & Spellman, 2010). Fager and Spellman (2010) gave some examples of AAC that would help to make communication more effective. Nurse- call signals, “yes/no” response strategies, eye-gaze, low- tech boards to encourage interaction with family and staff, communication boards, and speech- generating devices (SGD) with pre- programmed messages were all examples given in the research (Fager & Spellman, 2010). AAC can be required for a short time period or some may need it for a lifetime. It can help to reduce communication and language barriers experienced in educational settings. This article- discussed several levels of consciousness and goals for AAC in children with TBI (Fager & Spellman, 2010). According to Fager and Spellman (2010), there are 3 “themes” in TBI that emerge; recovery from TBI is dynamic and takes place over time, cognitive- language challenges associated with TBI make AAC interventions particularly challenging for rehab staff, as well as family, friends, and school personnel, and that there is a need to plan carefully for transitions because children with TBI are likely to experience many transitions over their lifetime (Fager & Spellman,

Get Access