Students with Brain Injury
Challenges for identification, learning and
behavior in the classroom
By Katherine Kimes, MA, Marilyn Lash, MSW,
Ron Savage, EdD ~ 2008
Who this book is for…
Jack & JillJack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of water.
Jack fell down and broke his crown,
And Jill came tumbling after.
Up Jack got and down he trot
As fast as he could caper;
And went to bed and covered his head
In vinegar and brown paper.
As this nursery rhyme portrays, a fall can create serious repercussions in a child’s life. Most people do not realize that a fall can result in more than scrapes and bruises; it can also injure a child’s brain. Too often, the injury to the brain goes unnoticed and life goes on as usual. That is, until the child reaches new developmental milestones and the effects of the injury surface. However, by this time many parents have forgotten about the incident because the child "went to bed" and "covered his head in vinegar and brown paper."
Society’s understanding of brain injury in the lives of children has not changed much since the writing of Jack & Jill. A majority of the population still does not understand the repercussions of brain injury and how such an injury can have devastating effects on a child’s life. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability of children (ages 0-14) in the United States.
This booklet is divided into four sections:
1) data on brain injury
2) common myths and facts about brain injury in children
3) educational issues for students with brain injury, and
4) changes in behavior after brain injury.
It is intended for teachers, advocates, parents, or anyone who is interested in learning about the epidemic of brain injury among our children. It is the beginning of a journey to promote awareness of the multi-dimensional effects of brain injury on the lives and education of children. While this booklet is only a start, awareness is a journey that we can embark on together. Hopefully, one day it will lead to the national dissemination of information on the educational repercussions of brain injury on children. This is a subject that needs to be acknowledged by both national leaders and school systems. It is a matter of urgency as it affects the futures of our littlest survivors.
What initially began as a consultation project for Katherine Kimes’ doctoral program at George Washington University (GWU) soon became an ambition to build knowledge and to disseminate pertinent information to educators and parents. Upon presenting the first draft of this booklet to her peers at GWU’s doctoral education program, most of whom are special education teachers, she was asked how they could obtain it for their personal use. From the conversations that followed, it was obvious that these special education teachers were neither informed nor aware of the repercussions of brain injury on a child’s education. Brain injury in children is not widely understood. What is missing is an introductory guide on brain injury for both teachers and parents. This is exactly what this booklet attempts to accomplish.
Sample excerpt. Preview only – please do not copy.
New Item: SWBI 64 pages, 7 x 8 ˝ soft cover
