In educational settings students with traumatic brain injury (TBI) are often placed in the same category as students with learning disabilities, yet students with TBI possess a unique combination of learning characteristics and needs that are quite distinct from those of the learning disabled student. Since students with TBI are reported by the American Council on Education to be one of the fastest growing segments of the student population requiring support services on campus, it is important that college staff and faculty are familiar with the characteristics of this condition.
Traumatic brain injury is defined by the Brain Injury Association as “an insult to the brain, not of degenerative or congenital nature, caused by an external physical force that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, which results in an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning.” The most common cause of TBI is from falling. Other causes include blows to the head, injuries from assaults, car accidents, and war zone blasts.
Survivors of TBI can experience issues with memory, emotion, cognition, perception, physical health, and interpersonal relations. Students with TBI can demonstrate varying ranges of impairment. In addition, a student’s neurological profile may shift over time as improvements and recovery may be ongoing.
A student with traumatic brain injury could exhibit any combination of the following characteristics:
Memory:
- May have varying memory loss, including immediate memory (minutes), short term memory (up to 30 minutes), and long term memory.
- Long term memory events might be jumbled, as sometimes these memories return in bits and pieces.
- Might be able to remember events, but not the sequence of events.
Cognitive:
- May have difficulty analyzing, categorizing, generalizing and integrating information.
- Might find busy environments distracting.
- Might have difficulty creating or following a plan of action.
- May find it challenging to concentrate for long periods of time.
- May have difficulty multi-tasking such as listening to a lecture and taking notes at the same time.
- Might struggle with organization.
- May struggle with creative thinking.
Learning:
- Processing speeds may be slower than pre-injury levels.
- May have difficulty integrating new information.
- May be unable to recall words.
- May have difficulty expressing thoughts in verbal or written language.
- May have speech difficulties.
- May have visual or auditory processing issues.
-
Might find reading tasks difficult and slow.
Physical:
- Can have headaches, nightmares, and/or sleep disorders.
- May have seizures.
- Can fatigue easily.
- Fatigue may compound other impairments.
- May be unable to discriminate sounds well, or localize sound in space.
- May be more likely to incur Parkinson’s disease or Alzheimer’s disease. Early onset of Alzheimer’s or age-related dementia is possible.
Emotional:
- Can experience personality changes.
- Can behave impulsively or experience erratic emotions.
- May behave in socially unacceptable ways.
- May experience issues with addiction, sexual behavior, and eating disorders.
- May have lessened ability to experience pleasure.
- Might be prone to depression.
- May react flatly to emotional stimuli (no or low reaction).
- May have awareness of being different from pre-injury self and have a hard time coping with that.
Helpful Strategies for Students with Multiple Chemical Sensitivities:
- Investigate and experiment with strategies for organization.
- Break tasks into smaller pieces.
- Write everything down in one place.
- Try out a day planner.
- Write out deadlines and due dates on a visible calendar near your study space.
- Experiment with assistive technology such as voice recognition software or screen readers to circumvent processing issues.
- Study during times of the day when you are most rested.
- Seek study skills coaching if needed.
Considerations When Working with Students Who Have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities:
- May need more time to complete tasks such as reading and writing.
- May require a note taker or a copy of notes from instructor or other student in class.
- Will benefit from a detailed syllabus.
- Will benefit from repeat instructions and check for understanding.
- May require study skills coaching.
- Will require a quiet, consistent space to meet with advisors.
- Might need preferential seating.
- May need alternative assignments.
- May benefit from books in audio format.
- May need to record lectures.
- May benefit from extra help in organization, breaking down tasks into smaller pieces, and strategies for memorizing.
Selected Resources:
Brain Injury Associate of America
Kimes, Katherine. "Characteristics Differentiating Students with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from Other Disabilities." Information from HEALTH. George Washington University
Kimes, Katherine. "Teaching Students with Traumatic Brain Injury." Disability Support Services. George Washington University
National Center for Injury Prevention & Control. “What is Traumatic Brain Injury?” Center for Disease Control
