Damage to the brain caused by illness or accident. Brain injury is the most common cause of death and disability in children. A person with a mild traumatic brain injury may lose consciousness or memory at the time of the accident. They may look all right on the outside but have lasting changes in their personality or thinking. Other times, the effects can be even more serious causing mental retardation, learning disabilities, loss of vision or speech, inability to remember new things and number of other complications.
A person with a mild traumatic brain injury may lose consciousness or memory at the time of the accident. They may look all right on the outside but have lasting changes in their personality or thinking. Brain injury can also occur due to hypoxia (not enough oxygen) or anoxia (no oxygen). This occurs in drowning, suffocation and sometimes due to problems at birth.
There is no single set of characteristics for children (or adults) with traumatic brain injuries. A person may have only physical disabilities, only cognitive disabilities, only emotional problems, or any combination of these.