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Crimmins (2000) marveled at the greatness of the “three pound-blob” that is our
brain and control system. As seasoned clinicians in the field of neuro-rehabilitation,
we still marvel each day at the resilience of the brain and at the exciting recoveries
that we attempt to facilitate in survivors of acquired brain injuries (ABIs).
We observe the survivor who used to have frequent and severe behavioral outbursts
each hour now remain calm and focused throughout the day. We note the
survivor who once was a major safety risk due to lack of insight now act as our
ally motivating other survivors by his experiences. We see survivors who were
admitted to our rehabilitation program with a multitude of challenges, broken and
vulnerable, discharged each week to productive, meaningful activities, competent
and compensating for their residual weaknesses.
On the other hand, we’ve encountered a disillusioning number of situations in
which distraught survivors and family members find themselves in crisis, sometimes
years after the injury. The survivor with a preexisting psychiatric illness,
that goes undiagnosed and untreated after his brain injury, resulting in psychiatric
hospitalization for a suicide attempt a few years after discharge from acute
rehabilitation. The woman with chronic pain that prevents her from returning to
work, despite the significant gains she demonstrated in physical and cognitive
functioning during her rehabilitation stay. The bright college student whose mild
brain injury went unrecognized, who never received rehabilitative services, and
whose premature return to school resulted in failure, depression, and the onset of
substance abuse.
This book details how medical and clinical teams that are comprehensive and interdisciplinary are able to effectively address the multiple difficulties that can result from an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). Coverage describes the medical specialists that are integral members of a team and their specialized roles in assessment and treatment. It reviews some of the vital specialty areas that are often overlooked. The book also examines key discipline areas, such as occupational and speech/language therapies, and describes the main behavioral difficulties exhibited by individuals with ABI. |
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