NHS Statistics
300,000 children attend A & E in the UK with a head injury every year
making traumatic brain injury (TBI) the biggest cause of death and disability in children and young people!
How many children are affected by a traumatic brain injury in our area?
In one year – 2018/19
- 1,415 children aged 0-15 sustained a traumatic brain injury.
- The majority had no loss of consciousness
- 583 young people aged 16-25 sustained a traumatic brain injury
- The majority had no loss of consciousness
That is almost 2000 children and young people living with the hidden effects of a traumatic brain injury in ONE year. Times that by 10 years and it becomes a significant number.
Children also suffer A-traumatic brain injuries each year (i.e. not caused by trauma) but also needing hospital admission
- An estimated 30 / 100 children are affected every year across the UK. (Source Dr M O’Sullivan, Paediatric Consultant, The James Cook University Hospital, 2015)
- Thus of the 51,000 children aged 0-15 who live locally, an additional 150 (approx) will be admitted for:
- Non traumatic coma (eg cardiac arrest, encephalitis, metabolic disorder)
- Brain tumours
- Stroke
Outcome of paediatric acquired brain injury (both traumatic and A-traumatic)
Research shows that the younger the child at the time of the injury, the greater the possibility of long term difficulties because:
- injury to a developing brain, that has not yet established skills and functions, creates increased complexity and far reaching effects
- cognitive impairment may only become apparent in teenage years when they fall behind their peers
- brain injuries are very variable in terms of symptom duration, disabling effect and life impact
- recovery after a traumatic brain injury is often patchy
We believe this is down to a lack of awareness and understanding across a range of community professionals and a lack of knowledgeable support to aid recovery.
Common problems after a brain injury show in four distinct areas:
- physical
- communicative
- cognitive and
- behavioural/emotional
Click below to see the full range of potential problems experienced by children who have experienced a brain injury.
