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Published on: January 20, 2023
Unintentional traumatic brain injury in children: the lived experience
1IWK Grace Health Centre, Halifax, Nova Scotia. jchisholm@iwkgrace.ns.ca
Insights
Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) significantly impacts families, altering life views and roles. Ongoing support is crucial for families to manage challenges and adapt to life after childhood TBI.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Childhood Neurological Impairment
- Family Support Services
Background:
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in children.
- Limited understanding exists regarding the circumstances, long-term outcomes, and family support needs following pediatric TBI.
- Pilot studies are essential to explore these under-researched areas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the circumstances surrounding pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- To understand the long-term outcomes and evolving family dynamics after childhood TBI.
- To identify the support needs of families coping with pediatric TBI.
Main Methods:
- A pilot study involving 10 families of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI).
- Qualitative data collection through participant descriptions of injury circumstances and family impact.
- Analysis of factors contributing to injury and the resulting shifts in family life and support needs.
Main Results:
- Multiple factors contributed to pediatric TBI, including inattentiveness, lack of supervision, and environmental hazards.
- Families experienced profound life view shifts, altered roles, and sustained uncertainty post-injury.
- Social support mediated some challenges, but families identified needs for ongoing services to manage sequelae and adapt.
Conclusions:
- Findings provide initial insights for developing targeted injury prevention interventions for childhood TBI.
- The study highlights the necessity of tailored health, rehabilitative, and educational support services for affected children and their families.
- Involving families in research enhances the development of practical and effective support systems for pediatric TBI.
Abstract:
Brain injury is a major cause of injury death and long-term neurological impairment in children often requiring long-term support. Despite the significance and frequency of such injuries, very little is known about the circumstances of these injuries, the long-term outcomes and family support needs. In this pilot study of 10 families of children with traumatic brain injury, participants described a variety of factors which contributed to their child's injury (inattentiveness, unfamiliarity, developmental level, lack of protective gear, invulnerability, peer pressure, environmental hazards and lack of supervision). As a result of their child's injury, family members described fundamental shifts in how they view life and that the roles and responsibilities of family members changed drastically. Study families experienced sustained uncertainty and described the impact on family relationships. While social support was clearly a mediating factor, families described the need for ongoing support and services to help them adapt to new roles, cope with new challenges, and manage sequellae such as post-traumatic headaches, epilepsy, learning difficulties and behavioural problems. The study findings represent an initial attempt to develop knowledge upon which focussed injury prevention interventions can be developed. Furthermore, this information will assist in the determination of appropriate health, rehabilitative, and educational support services for children with brain injuries. Involving families in this way will enhance the implementation of practical and useful support services for families of children with brain injuries.
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