Delaware’s Injury & Medical Malpractice Leaders

Effects of brain injuries in childhood may last years

On Behalf of | Jun 16, 2017 | Brain Injuries

Attempting to justify care or therapy for an injury years after healing has occurred may be difficult for some Delaware residents. That difficulty may occur for many young adults who suffered traumatic brain injuries as a child. It has long been believed by medical professionals that once a child’s brain injury healed, that children would not likely suffer any long-term effects. A recent study performed in another country has produced data that challenges the current medical thinking. 

To conduct the study, researchers compared two groups of young adults under the age of 18 who suffered different types of injuries. One group suffered broken bones with no head injuries, and the other group suffered mild to severe brain injuries five or more years prior to the study. Researchers compared the two groups after completing diagnostic tests and interviews with psychologists to analyze for the presence of anxiety, depression, panic attacks and other phobias.

Results indicated that children had a much greater risk in developing an anxiety disorder and suffering panic attacks, phobias and depression as much as 10 years following a traumatic brain injury. As would be assumed, the severity of the initial injury also correlated with the severity of the long-term effects that a child was likely to suffer. Prior to the study, it was believed that once a child’s brain would heal, there would be little to no long-term effects. Although the study was not able to measure the level of anxiety that the children had prior to study, it adds more knowledge to understanding the brain and how it heals.

No matter how one may suffer traumatic brain injuries, the study provides possible evidence to the years of suffering that may continue. Focusing in school, maintaining a job and other areas of life may be heavily impacted by anxiety disorders following an injury. Delaware residents who suspect their injury may be a result of negligence by another may benefit from speaking to an experienced attorney about their rights and options in civil court. While compensation will not reverse the effects of the injuries, it may help to cover the costs of related long-term medical and therapy expenses.

Source: huffingtonpost.com, “Childhood brain injury Tied To Adult Anxiety, Depression“, Madeline Kennedy, June 8, 2017

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