In Part 1 of this series, you met Julie Papievis, a woman who miraculously survived a near fatal brain stem injury. In that post she shared five positive ways her injury and recovery changed her. In Part 2 of the series, she shared seven valuable tips about how parents can support their brain-injured (or special needs) child.
In Part 3, the final post in the series, Julie provides some facts and treatment information about brain injuries.
Center for Disease Control (CDC) Brain Injury Statistics
- Brain injuries in kids ages 0 – 14 cause 435,00 ER visits a year.
- In the same age group, brain injuries result in 37,000 hospitalizations annually.
- In one year, 2,685 kids between the ages of 0 and 14 died.
When to Seek Treatment for Brain Injuries
Brain injuries eventually manifest themselves in behavior and judgement changes.
Be proactive if your child has a head injury, no matter how mild. Even if your child exhibits no immediate behavior changes after a concussion or head injury, seek treatment.
If your child has a concussion related to a sports injury, pursue medical treatment no matter what the coach or team trainer says.
The Brain Injury Association of America
You can learn More about these nervous system diseases and injuries at the Brain Injury Association of America:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Brain Stem injuries
- Brain Injuries
- Spinal Bifida
- Muscular Dystrophy
Go Back and Be Happy
That wraps up the three part series with Julie Papievis. If you haven’t visited Julie’s website at www.gobackandbehappy.com, I encourage you to do so. And if you want to know more about her amazing story of suffering and surviving a near fatal brain stem injury, check out her book Go Back and Be Happy.
If you have any comments about this series or experiences to share, please add to the discussion below. I look forward to hearing from you.
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