What is it?

• Caused by a blow or jolt to the head, or 
• Penetration by a foreign object
• Disrupts normal brain function

Mild brain injury:

• Loss of consciousness shorter than 30 minutes, and/or
• Confusion and disorientation for less than 30 minutes, and/or
• MRI and CAT scans look normal, and/or
• Cognitive problems such as difficulty thinking, memory problems, mood swings

• Loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes, and/or
• Memory loss lasting more than 24 hours, and/or
• Arm and leg function compromised
• Abnormal speech or language problems
• Loss of thinking ability or emotional problems

The leading causes of TBI are:

• Falls (28%)
• Motor vehicle-traffic crashes (20%)
• Struck by/against events (19%)
• Assaults (11%)

What does it look like?

• Difficulty remembering, concentrating, making decisions
• Difficulty organizing, prioritizing, sequencing
• Slowness in thinking, speaking, acting, reading
• Getting lost or easily confused
• Feeling tired all of the time, having no energy, motivation
• Mood changes (feeling sad or angry for no reason)
• Light-headedness, dizziness, loss of balance
• Increased sensitivity to lights, sounds, distractions
• Blurred vision or eyes that tire easily

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