What is Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) ?
An acquired brain injury can happen in a number of different ways, including:
stroke
car accident
fall
tumour
lack of oxygen to the brain e.g. due to heart attack
Each person is different but may experience changes to their communication and thinking abilities. Changes in a person’s physical function and their ability to control their emotions or behaviour, may also be caused by a brain injury.
Sometimes referred to as “the hidden injury”, the effects of an acquired brain injury are often not obvious to the outside world. However, for the person with the brain injury, and their loved ones, living with these changes can be emotionally and practically challenging.
A person with a brain injury may experience difficulties with:
speaking clearly
finding the right words
understanding language
picking up on social cues
having a social filter
reading and/or writing
memory
attention/ability to focus
getting started with tasks
controlling behaviour and emotions