Brain injury is a leading cause of disability in children.
Whether it be from falls, accidents or illness, it can have a significant and lasting impact on a child’s development, education, and overall quality of life. It is therefore important for them to receive early and appropriate rehabilitation to minimise the impact, promote recovery, and help them reach their full potential to lead fulfilling lives.
Understanding the extent and the effects of the injury can be difficult to accurately diagnose in a still developing brain. There may be developmental delays that only become apparent once the childhood milestones have passed. A robust rehabilitation plan will monitor these milestones and can be adapted as the client grows and new developmental goals are identified.
Behavioural and emotional changes are part and parcel of growing up, but these are often amplified after suffering a brain injury and can sometimes result in emotional overload. Clients frequently report feelings of increased impulsivity, irritability, anxiety and depression amongst others. This can make it challenging to engage them in rehabilitation.
Children respond best when they have clear and achievable goals. They become more motivated when given opportunities to experience success. Alongside positive feedback and reinforcement, Occupational Therapists will often introduce tangible rewards to mark a child’s achievements.
Understanding a child’s interests and planning therapy session around the things they enjoy most leads to better levels of engagement. It’s far more motivating if they have an interest in the subject matter and feel they have some control over the activities they undertake.
As Occupational Therapists we must also consider the other people involved in the client’s life. Family, carers and teachers play a crucial role in the recovery process. We need to look at the support network and give them the training and tools to enable them to help with the child’s rehabilitation.
It’s so emotionally difficult to watch a loved one struggle and not step in to help, but this can often deny a disabled child the space to develop independence. An OT can educate the family on when to ‘let go’ and provide them with the support to help them along the journey towards independence.
Early intervention, regular assessments and ongoing monitoring by an Occupational Therapist helps to identify missing skills and functions at the earliest possible stage and allows for the development of strategies to mitigate challenges in future life.
Follow this link if you’d like to talk more or message us with any questions: https://kwtherapyltd.co.uk/contact-us
Or for additonal resources, help and support you can visit the Child Brain Injury Trust website.