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When Rehabilitation Stops and A New Life Begins

© Shannon Lester

Brain injuries. They affect the lives of 400,000 people each year, leaving many families in the dark. And many parents find themselves wondering what to do when their child is released from a rehabilitation facility. The overwhelming cost and emotional toll of having a tbi/abi child leaves parents with questions that no doctor can answer. Each person is different, depending on the type and severity of the brain injury, but here are some surefire techniques to make your child’s life a much better one.

Initially, you’ll probably find yourself wondering how you can help your child regain some of his abilities, such as walking and right or left side recovery. Many rehabilitation facilities release children long before they have fully recovered, while the child is still in a wheelchair, or he is wearing braces on his hands and arms. So here are a few answers to questions that you and your child are looking for.

Where do you start?

As a brain injury survivor, I can tell you that there’s no easy answer to this question. This ultimately depends on what stage of recovery your child is going through. Maybe he’s coping with a loss of friends. This is the most fragile point of recovery. He may blame himself, or think that he has done something wrong. As a parent, you may feel that it is your job to tell him that everything is going to be okay, that he will again have a lot of friends, but the sad fact is that most people are afraid, afraid to open up and learn about someone with a disability.

Getting your child involved with organizations for people with disabilities is a great asset. There are Brain Injury Associations in forty-nine states in the United States. Many of these organizations offer support groups for survivors and family members. People who attend these meeting range in ages from teenagers to senior citizens, and they are great for parents who want to learn more about how to cope with their child’s brain injury. They also offer unique social events, such as picnics, bowling, and pizza parties to help encourage social interaction.

A complete list of the Brain Injury Associations can be found at http://www.biausa.org/. Click on the State Offices link, and you will ffind a list of all websites for brain injury associations in the United States.

More than support, it may be helpful to get your child involved with other children who have disabilities. Your local Department of Recreation and Parks may offer programs for children and teens with both physical and cognitive disabilities.