Reflections: Demystifying Hope for Children With Traumatic Brain Injury

We often talk with children and adolescents about hope as a way to instill a sense of future. Yet, for those who survived a traumatic brain injury, hearing someone speak the word "hope" may not always bring the optimism needed to thrive in the years and decades to come. I know because I was one of the estimated 2.3 million children who was diagnosed with a brain injury. On January 20, I became a 44-year pediatric survivor of a severe cerebral contusion who went on to complete 2 master's degrees and to establish a 30-year career as a social worker and a research scientist.