An Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is any injury to the brain that happens after birth, following a period of typical development. It can happen to any child at any age. The term ABI includes traumatic brain injuries (e.g., falls, assaults, accidents), illnesses, infections, or other medical conditions (e.g., encephalitis, meningitis, stroke, and brain tumours).
An ABI is a ‘dynamic’ condition which may have long-term or lifelong consequences. The impact of the ABI is determined by its nature and severity, and partly by the age and developmental stage of the CYP at the time of injury. The impact of injuries to networks or pathways may only become evident over time as brains develop across childhood and adolescence.
An ABI can cause physical, cognitive, communication, social and psychological effects as the result of injury to specific areas or from damage to connections and pathways within the brain. For this reason, it is often referred to as a ‘hidden disability’ as many of the effects are not easily observed.
National guidance that may also be helpful for schools is linked below:
Cambridge Centre for Paediatric Neuropsychological Rehabilitation (CCPNR) leaflets are linked below.
