In the past month traumatic brain injuries have been getting a lot of media attention, from press coverage of the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords to the recent American Idol episode where contestant Chris Medina shared a personal story of his fiancée’s struggle. Medina told “Idol” judges Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson that two months before their wedding, his fiancée was in a serious accident. She sustained serious brain damage, and was in a coma for a month and a half.
Mr. Medina told the judges that after she awoke, “Everything changed.” This is a phrase that all traumatic brain injury survivors and their families can relate to. His fiancée is not partially paralyzed and looks like a shadow of the person in the photographs from before the accident that were shown on the show.
TBIs occur when an external force traumatically injures the brain. BI can cause a host of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral effects, and outcome can range from complete recovery to permanent disability. Because of the range of effects TBIs can be difficult to plan for and accommodate in the school setting. It is important that individuals with TBIs and their families work with the school to assure that supports are in place for students with TBIs to progress and receive a free and appropriate public education.
