Question

desribe how acquired brian injury can affect the family

Answer 1

An expert on acquired brain injury once said it is “a family affair”.It affects every single member and almost every part of family life.

The trauma of hospital, stresses of returning home, and the day-to-day strains of managing the household and finances can all place an enormous burden on parents.  Acquired brain injury is different to some other conditions in that its effects can be very sudden. Families may have to adjust to enormous changes in circumstances over a very short space of time. Parents may face a tough time trying to get the best services for their child, which comes with its own share of stresses and strains.

The strain on parents

Families’ needs may change at different stages of the ‘journey’ of ABI. They may experience one set of feelings at the hospital, and another set entirely when their child returns home

some of the areas of stress and strain that parents may have to deal with:

• Difficulties with their child’s behaviour
• Anxieties about how siblings are coping with the changes
• Friends, neighbours and relatives not understanding
• Financial strain. Perhaps a parent has given up work, or there are extra costs for transport or care
• Legal proceedings

And on top of the practical circumstances, there may be these emotional ones:

• Shock
• Blame
• Denial
• Feelings of loss for how their child was before their injury
• Anxieties about the reactions of others
• Guilt at what’s happened, guilt for resenting the changes the injury has brought about
• Anger and frustration
• Isolation – parents may lose time to spend with friends as their priorities change
• Changes in roles

This represents only some of what many parents are dealing with. And there may well be other things going on, as there are in any family.

It is of utmost importance that parents remember to look after themselves. This needn’t be something you have to do on your own .

It’s thought that a positive and supportive family environment can make a positive difference to a child’s progress.

?Feelings you may experience

Coming to terms with any kind of difficulty can take time, and the feelings people experience are best understood as a process. Parents of children with an acquired brain injury are having to make big adjustments to their new circumstances.

?Feelings of loss

The changes to a child’s behaviour and circumstances place great strain on parents.Some say the experience is almost like mourning, in that they grieve for the child as they were before the brain injury.

A child may be very different, and while the family may be experiencing feelings close to mourning, it may not necessarily be easy for others to understand.

?Denial

Parents – understandably – find it difficult to hear that their child now has a disability. Sometimes, parents may question the diagnosis. They may challenge what the healthcare professionals have said, which may get in the way of treatment.

Children often make speedy improvements in a short space of time, before this improvement begins to slow down, and this can make things very difficult for parents.

?Guilt and blame

These feelings may be particularly pronounced if a child has been involved in an accident. A parent may wonder if it was preventable, or they may blame someone for the injury. This may be the driver of a car, themselves, or even the child.

Guilt and regret are very common and are agonising emotions for parents to experience. It’s natural for parents to think “if only” this had happened or that hadn’t happened.

?Uncertainty

There is no single ‘cure’ or treatment for acquired brain injury, and some children may never fully return to the way they were before their injury. Progress may not always be rapid. And some parents may face a tough time if the speed of progress slows down over time.

These things can place a great deal of strain on parents. They may also have the uncertainty of not knowing if all of the effects of the brain injury have come to the surface.

?Looking after yourselves at the hospital (acute setting)

The experience of being in hospital with a loved one can be very tough on anyone. Some parents experience shock or post-traumatic stress disorder after their child has been injured.

Parents may have restless nights, and may not be eating too well. One of our parents at The Children's Trust described the experience as like “being in a bubble”.

?The transition to adulthood

Parents get ideas about what to expect from their children from many different places. The media, friends and family may all offer ideas. Sometimes, acquired brain injury can challenge these expectations, and parents may find themselves ‘off the map’ with their children.

As children become young adults, this can cause a great deal of anxiety to parents, who may face decisions about friends staying over, dating and driving.

?Independence

It isn’t always easy for parents to know how much independence to allow their children. It is hardly surprising that some parents of children with acquired brain injury worry about how vulnerable their child is.

They may be worried that their child is vulnerable around other children. Parents may be making very complicated decisions about how much independence their child can safely manage.

?Legal proceedings12

Sometimes, the circumstances of an acquired brain injury mean there are legal proceedings. Litigation can be a stressful process for anybody. In cases of acquired brain injury, the proceedings may go on for some time. Parents may have to relate what’s happened to different professionals many times over.

?The reactions of other people

We know that acquired brain injury can sometimes be misunderstood. This might be particularly tough on parents, who may worry they’re being judged as poor parents by people who don’t understand

?Your own relationships

Relationships between partners may be placed under enormous strain when a child has an acquired brain injury. Relationships with grandparents or immediate family may be affected.