Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
Systems Analysis of the Neuroinflammatory and Hemodynamic Response to Traumatic Brain Injury
Published on: May 27, 2022
Helping brain injured children and their families
1BIBIC, Bridgwater.
Insights
Brain injured children often lack adequate NHS care. The British Institute for Brain Injured Children (BIBIC) empowers families with practical home-based treatment programs to improve motor and cognitive function.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Child Development
Background:
- Congenital or acquired brain injuries in children present significant challenges with limited options for correcting the underlying pathology.
- Current National Health Service (NHS) continuing care for brain-injured children is frequently under-resourced, providing minimal physiotherapy support.
Observation:
- Families of brain-injured children require accessible and effective support systems.
- The British Institute for Brain Injured Children (BIBIC) offers a unique model of care focused on empowering families.
Findings:
- BIBIC provides initial assessments and training at its center, enabling families to implement simple, practical, and inexpensive home-based treatment programs.
- Treatment sessions are typically 30 minutes, with recommendations for multiple daily repetitions by caregivers.
- Support is not contingent on the ability to pay, ensuring accessibility for all families.
Implications:
- This approach can significantly enhance motor and cognitive function, as well as nutritional status in brain-injured children.
- Empowering families with home-based strategies offers a scalable and sustainable solution to under-resourced healthcare systems.
- Continued support through telephone helplines and encouragement of collaboration with existing healthcare providers (GPs, consultants) ensures comprehensive care.
Abstract:
For many brain injured children, whether the injury is congenital or the result of subsequent illness or accident, there is little to be done to put right the underlying problem. Treatment programmes, however, can encourage better motor and cognitive function and better nutrition. NHS continuing care for brain injured children is under-resourced, often amounting to only half an hour of physiotherapy fortnightly or even monthly. The British Institute for Brain Injured Children (BIBIC) is a registered charity which exists to help families with a brain injured child to learn to apply simple, practical, inexpensive treatment programmes themselves, in their own homes. Initial assessments and training take place at the BIBIC Centre in Somerset. Families are asked to contribute towards costs if they are in a position to, but treatment does not depend on ability to pay. Treatment sessions often last about 30 minutes and families may be advised to carry out two or more sessions every day. Telephone help and continuing support is available from BIBIC, and families are encouraged to retain contact with their GP and hospital consultants, and local services.
