How to Help Students with Traumatic Brain Injuries
Adjust your expectations of recovery to provide support for your child., Write down the positives to remind yourself and your child of their abilities., Learn about TBI to best help your child., Talk to other parents to find a feeling of solidarity.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Adjust your expectations of recovery to provide support for your child.
After the TBI, your child will almost certainly be different in one way or another.
In severe cases, there can be great changes in your child's emotions, problem-solving skills, and memory, depending on where the injury is.
Often, your child will remember how they were before the injury, and their inability to reach that state again can cause a lot of emotional trauma and frustration.
Just picture being a straight-A student, who just “gets” everything really quickly and is very socially adaptable, and then waking up one day to find out that you simply cannot function the same way anymore.
It can also be difficult for family members, friends and school faculty to accept the new ways in which your child behaves – they might expect him or her to go back to “normal” and be disappointed when that does not happen.
Although they may not say it, this disappointment is almost always noticed by children and makes them feel even worse about themselves.
That is why it is essential to adjust your expectations and come to terms with the fact that now there is a new “normal” which is not bad, just different.
If you are able to believe this yourself, your child will sense it and his or her self-esteem will be boosted. -
Step 2: Write down the positives to remind yourself and your child of their abilities.
Write down, in a very positive manner, all the good things that your child currently enjoys.
For example, try writing down that the injury is not that severe, that there are many things that your child can still do, etc.
It might be easier to write all these positive statements down somewhere private, and read them whenever you are feeling doubtful or sad.
Having things written down makes you look at them more seriously.
Remember, your child can sense your disposition and is almost always much affected by it, so you can influence the way he or she views the injury. , If you know nothing about your child’s injury, you will likely be so scared of the situation, that you can't deal with it appropriately.
However, if you go the extra mile and learn about TBI, you will find that there will still be many positive things in your child’s life.
Also, by learning about the injury, you can educate yourself regarding suitable behaviors and learning techniques, which can be crucial for your child's recovery.
There are many books and information sources on TBI, but if you want to get the best, you should consult your child’s healthcare team.
A Your child’s healthcare team has experience helping parents and students cope with TBI, so they will be able to tell you which information sources will be most helpful for your specific situation. , It can help you deal with the trauma of your child's TBI to know that there are other people who are experiencing the same thing.
Talking to other parents with children suffering from TBI can make you feel less alone, less stressed, and more supported by society.
Chances are, even if their child has different problems than yours, parents of children with TBI have experience and knowledge that can help you deal with situations when you are worried about a certain part of your child’s life.
A really good thing about joining a support group for TBI parents is that you will learn about teaching techniques that will help your child excel in school.
In addition, seeing that other people are dealing with the same problems as you can make you and your child feel less “different”. -
Step 3: Learn about TBI to best help your child.
-
Step 4: Talk to other parents to find a feeling of solidarity.
Detailed Guide
After the TBI, your child will almost certainly be different in one way or another.
In severe cases, there can be great changes in your child's emotions, problem-solving skills, and memory, depending on where the injury is.
Often, your child will remember how they were before the injury, and their inability to reach that state again can cause a lot of emotional trauma and frustration.
Just picture being a straight-A student, who just “gets” everything really quickly and is very socially adaptable, and then waking up one day to find out that you simply cannot function the same way anymore.
It can also be difficult for family members, friends and school faculty to accept the new ways in which your child behaves – they might expect him or her to go back to “normal” and be disappointed when that does not happen.
Although they may not say it, this disappointment is almost always noticed by children and makes them feel even worse about themselves.
That is why it is essential to adjust your expectations and come to terms with the fact that now there is a new “normal” which is not bad, just different.
If you are able to believe this yourself, your child will sense it and his or her self-esteem will be boosted.
Write down, in a very positive manner, all the good things that your child currently enjoys.
For example, try writing down that the injury is not that severe, that there are many things that your child can still do, etc.
It might be easier to write all these positive statements down somewhere private, and read them whenever you are feeling doubtful or sad.
Having things written down makes you look at them more seriously.
Remember, your child can sense your disposition and is almost always much affected by it, so you can influence the way he or she views the injury. , If you know nothing about your child’s injury, you will likely be so scared of the situation, that you can't deal with it appropriately.
However, if you go the extra mile and learn about TBI, you will find that there will still be many positive things in your child’s life.
Also, by learning about the injury, you can educate yourself regarding suitable behaviors and learning techniques, which can be crucial for your child's recovery.
There are many books and information sources on TBI, but if you want to get the best, you should consult your child’s healthcare team.
A Your child’s healthcare team has experience helping parents and students cope with TBI, so they will be able to tell you which information sources will be most helpful for your specific situation. , It can help you deal with the trauma of your child's TBI to know that there are other people who are experiencing the same thing.
Talking to other parents with children suffering from TBI can make you feel less alone, less stressed, and more supported by society.
Chances are, even if their child has different problems than yours, parents of children with TBI have experience and knowledge that can help you deal with situations when you are worried about a certain part of your child’s life.
A really good thing about joining a support group for TBI parents is that you will learn about teaching techniques that will help your child excel in school.
In addition, seeing that other people are dealing with the same problems as you can make you and your child feel less “different”.
About the Author
Frank Perry
Specializes in breaking down complex pet care topics into simple steps.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: