The Who Is Carter Foundation

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Childhood Brain Injury: Impacting the Entire Family

Emily Abbott

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and as you can see below, traumatic brain injury (TBI) has far-reaching effects on children, as well as the families who love and care for them.  Childhood brain injury is the leading cause of acquired disability in childhood. The cost of treating a child’s brain injury is staggering, and those expenses can continue to grow for years after the initial injury.  A family’s physical, financial, and relational well-being can be impacted in the blink of an eye.

In addition to the financial burden of childhood brain injury, parents and siblings can experience additional burdens in the wake of the initial injury:

  • Stress

  • Parental anxiety and depression

  • Family dysfunction

  • Sibling isolation

Has your family been impacted by a child’s brain injury?  How did you cope? How were you and other family members impacted?  What supports brought you the hope and resources you needed? What advice would you give to a family who has just received a diagnosis of TBI?  Share your story with us: Email info@whoiscarter.org to let other families know that they are not alone.

You are balancing on the high wire. One of the greatest challenges is for you to re-instill a sense of responsibility in your child while providing what may now be a greater level of safety and supervision than ever before.

— Cynthia H. Bonner & Lisa Schoenbrodt, "Children with Traumatic Brain Injury: A Parents' Guide," Brainline.org

The parents and caregivers who care for a child after his or her brain injury need a world of resources and hope at their fingertips--and that is something the Who Is Carter Foundation is providing on TheBrainPossible.com.  Visit The Brain Possible today to take a look at the growing catalog of resources and inspirational stories.

Looking for other ways to get involved during Brain Injury Awareness Month?  Click one ...