Brain Injury Association Second Annual Concussion and Brain Injury Awareness Day at Citi Field
Join hundreds of your friends at the Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) on Sunday, July 8th, for the second annual brain injury/ concussion awareness day at Citi Field. While the NY Mets play the Chicago Cubs, BIANYS and our allies spread the word about brain injury and concussion.
Tickets are available today for $45 in the Left Field Reserved section. Handicapped-accessible seating is available in the same section. The tickets include access to the Caesar's, Acela, and Promenade Clubs.
Help the Brain Injury Association hit a grand slam with this event by buying a block of seats. The first 25,000 fans to the game will receive a poster of Mr. Met. There are also some fantastic sponsorship opportunities for large groups and organizations! We also have some great benefits for individuals who sell 25 or more tickets to the game.
Order tickets and learn more about the event and sponsorship opportunities through the Brain Injury Association of New York State website.
Together we can work to strike out brain injury!
May 22, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Mild head injury and mild brain injury found to cause changes in brain function
Even mild head injuries can cause significant abnormalities in brain function that last for several days, which may explain the neurological symptoms experienced by some individuals who have experienced a head injury associated with sports, accidents or combat, according to a study by Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine researchers, published in the May issue the Journal of Neuroscience.
Previous research has shown that even a mild case of TBI can result in long-lasting neurological issues that include slowing of cognitive processes, confusion, chronic headache, posttraumatic stress disorder and depression.
The research team, demonstrated for the first time, using sophisticated bioimaging and electrophysiological approaches, that mild injury can cause structural disruption of axons in the brain while also changing the way the neurons fire in areas where they have not been structurally altered. Axons are nerve fibers in the brain responsible for conducting electrical impulses. The team used models of mild traumatic brain injury and followed morphologically identified neurons in live cortical slices.
May 14, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Brain Injury Attorney appointed to Advisory Board of New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System Program at Mount Sinai Medical School, New York
I am honored to be appointed to the Board of Advisors of the New York Traumatic Brain Injury Model System (TBI Model System) program which is a part of the Brain Injury Research Center of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.
The TBI Model System conducts research and provides a comprehensive program of health care to meet the diverse needs of persons who have experienced a traumatic brain injury. The NY TBI Model System is one of 16 in the U.S. and the only one in the New York metropolitan area.
The goal of the model system program at Mount Sinai Medical Center is enhancing the quality of life of individuals who have experienced a TBI.
Each Model System across the country is recognized not only as a center of excellence in clinical care of individuals with TBI, but also in conducting research on TBI and in disseminating information about TBI to professionals and consumers. Model Systems are provided funding by the National Institute on Disability and MounRehabilitation Research, within the U.S. Department of Education.
May 11, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
class action football brain injury interview rescheduled
Due to programming preemption by discussion of President Obama’s historic endorsement of gay marriage the WOR broadcast on concussion and football, originally scheduled to be aired today at 10:15A.M. will be broadcast on Saturday morning at 7:45 A.M.
Sorry for any confusion presented by circumstances beyond my control.
The league fraudulently created the mild traumatic brain injury safety committee ostensibly to protect players. They failed however, to acknowledge the clear link between concussions, traumatic brain injury and football which has been established by overwhelming medical research and well documented in medical literature. The committee conducted dishonest research and lied to the players.
The league must be held responsible for the long term consequences of traumatic brain injury and be required to reopen their files and reverse the denial of benefits to players who have sustained the permanent consequences of traumatic brain injury.
You can listen to my interview with Joe Bartlett this Saturday morning by clicking here
May 10, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
The death of Junior Seau--traumatic brain injury and the implications for football
I will be speaking live this morning with Joe Bartlett on WOR Radio 710 AM discussing traumatic brain injury , the suicide death of Junior Seau and its implications for football and the current class action lawsuits brought against the NFL.
Live streaming broadcast by clicking here
May 10, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Female athletes and young athletes take longer to recover from concussions
A new study reported in this month’s edition of, American Journal of Sports Medicine finds that female athletes and younger athletes take longer to recover from concussions. The study found females performed worse than males on visual memory tests and reported more post concussive symptoms.
Additionally, high school athletes performed worse than college athletes on verbal and visual memory tests, and some of the younger athletes still were impaired up to two weeks after their injuries.
The study looked at nearly 300 concussed athletes from multiple states over two years. All of the athletes had previously completed a baseline test before taking three different post-concussion tests, identical to those used by professional sporting teams.
Sex and age need to be taken into account when dealing with concussions and the important return to play decisions that must be made.
Most importantly female athletes are not immune from brain damage caused by concussions and may be at greater risk for long term problems.
May 9, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
California, Third Annual Brain Injury Conference
The Brain Injury Association of California will hold its third annual brain injury conference, Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury: Resources and Pathways to Brain Injury Recovery. Friday, June 8, 2012.
The 2012 conference curriculum was developed to address the needs of persons with brain injury, their family members and caregivers, as well as the professionals who serve them.
The conference will be held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles, CA 90071
More information on the California Brain Injury Conference.
May 6, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Parents and coaches need more education on concussion safety
Parents and coaches are exposing children to high risks of future brain damage according to a recent survey exploring knowledge about sports safety.
The survey finds that 90 percent of parents underestimate how long children need to be sidelined from sports participation following an injury.
Ninety-two percent of parents said they rely on coaches to keep their children safe while playing sports. But nearly half of all coaches said they have felt pressure to play an injured child in a game. And three of 10 children think a good player should keep playing even when they're hurt, unless a coach or other adult makes them stop.
The survey also found that more than half of all coaches believe there is an acceptable amount of head contact during play without potentially causing a serious brain injury
Only two in 5 parents know how much sports safety training their child's coach has received. Even well-trained coaches said they would like additional training -- with about three-fourths interested in learning more about preventing concussions and heat illness. The main factors preventing coaches from getting more training are cost, lack of time and lack of local sources of information.
The survey was released by Safe Kids Worldwide and Johnson & Johnson. You can read the full survey by clicking here.
April 28, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Catastrophic brain injury in football players caused by style of play
The Wall Street Journal Health Blog reports a study from the University of North Carolina finding that a growing number of football players, especially in high school, are suffering from catastrophic brain injuries.
While the number of kids with catastrophic brain damage is small — 13 out of about 1.1 million high-school players — it’s the highest tally since the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research at UNC started collecting the brain-injury stats in 1984, says Dr. Frederick Mueller, the center’s director and an emeritus professor of exercise and sports science.
According to the Journal, more players are sustaining severe brain injury because of the “style of play.” The Health Blog reports that, “they’re using their heads more,” perhaps modeling their play after the hard-hitting pros.
Read the full Health Blog report.
April 20, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
New study suggests that starting point of brain injury may be detectible in boxers
A news release today by the American Academy of Neurology in conjunction with their 64th Annual Meeting to be held in New Orleans from April 21 to April 28, 2012 discusses a new study which will be presented that suggests there may be a detectible starting point at which blows to the head or other head trauma suffered in sports such a boxing start to affect memory and thinking abilities and can lead to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), in the brain.
This study has important implications for all professional sports such as football and hockey plagued by an epidemic of traumatic brain injury.
"While we already know that boxing and other combat sports are linked to brain damage, little is known about how this process develops and who may be on the path to developing CTE, which is a degenerative brain disease found in athletes and others with a history of multiple concussions and brain damage," said study author Charles Bernick, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. CTE is only diagnosed through autopsy after death, but symptoms include memory loss, aggression and difficulty thinking.
The study involved 35 boxers and 43 mixed martial arts athletes with an average age of 29 who were part of the ongoing Professional Fighters Brain Health Study. The fighters were given computer tests that measured memory and thinking skills and underwent MRI brain scans. Years of fighting and number of fights were recorded based on self-reporting and published records.
The fighters were then split into two groups: those who fought for nine or fewer years and those with more than nine years of fighting history.
"Our study shows there appears to be a threshold at which continued repetitive blows to the brain begin to cause measurable changes in memory and thinking, despite brain volume changes that can be found earlier," said Bernick.
Read more by clicking here
April 19, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Preventing cell death following brain injury
A new device called mechanical tissue resuscitation (MTR) to prevent cell death may dramatically change the way brain injuries are treated. The device has been demonstrated in animal studies to reduce the size and extent of damaged tissue caused by traumatic brain injury according to a paper published in the journal Neurosurgery this month.
Tested in rodents, MTR uses negative pressure in order to create an environment that encourages cell survival.
The device has been utilized for the past fifteen years to treat wound and burn injuries.
In this study, the researchers used the device to remove toxins and fluids that cause cell death from an injury site located deep within the brain.
Brain injuries sustained by trauma or explosion causes irreversible cell damage and cell death at the site of the impact. Injured cells, in the area surrounding the wound, release toxic substances, which cause swelling of the brain, restricting blood flow and oxygen levels, which in turn causes further extensive cell death that affects brain function.
The research team set out in order to determine whether removing fluid and toxic substances from around injured brain cells could help improve survival of the damaged cells. The researchers found that in mice treated with MTR, brain swelling, as well as release of toxic substances considerably reduce compared to untreated brain injuries.
In addition, the device helped to preserve over 50% more brain tissue in animals treated with the MTR than in non-treated animals. After conducting behavioral function tests the team found that function returned faster in rodents treated with MTR.
April 18, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
New nonsurgical method being developed to monitor intracranial blood pressure
Traumatic brain injuries can lead to increased pressure inside the skull, which can cause further brain damage by direct damage to nerve cells and by impeding the flow of oxygen to brain cells. Up to now, the monitoring of intra cranial pressure had had to be done by drilling a hole in the patient’s brain and inserting a monitoring device.
A new nonsurgical method for monitoring brain pressure is described in an article appearing in the April 11 issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine.
This new method is much less invasive and may enable doctors to measure brain pressure in patients who have milder head injuries, but would benefit from close monitoring. While still in the study phase the new method is based on a computer model of how blood flows through the brain. The researchers found that they can calculate brain pressure from two less-invasive measurements: arterial blood pressure and an ultrasound measurement of how quickly blood flows through the brain. This approach enables changes in brain pressure to be monitored over time so that doctors can detect problems that might develop gradually, the researchers said.
April 12, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Free webinar to examine recovery from severe traumatic brain injury resulting in coma and loss of consciousness
The Brain Trauma Foundation is presenting a free webinar on Assessment & Prognosis in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury on Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 12-1 Eastern Time. This webinar is open to all.
Survivors of severe traumatic brain injury face a wide range of possible prognoses, from nearly complete recovery to permanent unconsciousness. The ability to predict prognosis at an early point is limited, but the time until return of consciousness (e.g., command following) and orientation (e.g., duration of post-traumatic amnesia) are useful predictors in the early days and weeks. More specialized assessment techniques exist of those with persistent disorders of consciousness, and new assessment tools and promising treatment options are under development. This presentation will review the range of outcomes that are possible after severe TBI, suggest ways to improve prognostic prediction and treatment planning, and offer insight into emerging treatments.
By the end of this webinar the participant will be able to:
1. Describe the range of outcomes and prognosis that are possible following severe TBI.
2. Identify 2 approaches to the assessment of patients whose level of consciousness remains impaired.
3. Use time frame and prognostic information to guide treatment planning.
You can click here to register.
April 12, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Mapping intelligence functions of the brain
In a study published in Brain: A Journal of Neurology, researchers report that they have mapped the physical architecture of intelligence in the brain.
The study used 182 volunteer Vietnam veterans with highly localized brain damage from penetrating head injuries.
By using brain injury survivors with focal brain injuries the study was able to look at how damage to particular brain regions produces specific forms of cognitive impairment.
The researchers took CT scans of the participants' brains and administered an extensive battery of cognitive tests. They pooled the CT data to produce a collective map of the cortex, which they divided into more than 3,000 three-dimensional units called voxels. By analyzing multiple patients with damage to a particular voxel or cluster of voxels and comparing their cognitive abilities with those of patients in whom the same structures were intact, the researchers were able to identify brain regions essential to specific cognitive functions, and those structures that contribute significantly to intelligence.
April 10, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
2nd Annual Brain Injury Awareness Day at New York Met's Citi Field
Tickets are now on sale for the 2nd annual Brain Injury Association of New York State’s Brain Injury/Concussion Awareness Day at Citi Field on Sunday, July 8 at 1pm.
Tickets to see the NY Mets play the Chicago Cubs are $45 each for seats in the left field reserved section. Tickets get the holder access to the Acela Club, Caesar's Club, and Promenade Club. The first 25,000 attendees receive a special Mr. Mets Poster. Click here for further information and ticket purchase.
For brain injury legal assistance, visit BrainLaw
April 6, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
New Jersey Brain Injury Meeting
The Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey will be holding their 30th anniversary meeting on May 17 and May 18, 2012 at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel and Conference Center, Eatontown, NJ.
The theme of the conference is Brain Injury: Building Resilience
The opening keynote speaker, Marilyn Price Spivack, will talk about her personal journey building a national and state advocacy movement.
A limited number of scholarships are available for professionals working in the field of behavioral healthcare, working with individuals with brain injury, for individuals with brain injury and family members.
To register or for more information, click here .
April 4, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
North American Brain Injury Society-Call for Abstracts and Save the Date
The North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) Tenth Annual Conference on Brain Injury will be held on September 12-15 2012 at the InterContinental Hotel, Miami, Florida
NABIS has announced that they are now accepting abstracts for presentation at the annual NABIS conference. The ccepted abstracts will be published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation. The abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2012.
To submit your abstract, click here
April 1, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
New report on epilepsy and seizure disorder
Epilepsy and seizure disorder frequently occurs following head trauma and traumatic brain injury. All forms of brain injury, mild brain injury, moderate brain injury and severe brain injury have been shown to cause seizures. These seizures can occur, minutes, hours, days, weeks or even months following the initial head trauma.
The Institute of Medicine has released a new report: Epilepsy Across the Spectrum: Promoting Health and Understanding.
Although epilepsy is one of the nation’s most common neurological disorders, public understanding of it is limited. It is characterized by unpredictable seizures that differ in type and severity. Living with epilepsy is about much more than just seizures; the disorder is often defined in practical terms, such as challenges in school, uncertainties about social situations and employment, limitations on driving, and questions about independent living.
The IOM was asked to examine the public health dimensions of the epilepsies, focusing on public health surveillance and data collection; population and public health research; health policy, health care, and human services; and education for people with the disorder and their families, health care providers, and the public. The IOM makes recommendations ranging from the expansion of collaborative epilepsy surveillance efforts, to the coordination of public awareness efforts, to the engagement of people with epilepsy and their families in education, dissemination, and advocacy for improved care and services. Taking action across multiple dimensions will improve the lives of people with epilepsy and their families. The realistic, feasible, and action-oriented recommendations in this report can help enable short- and long-term improvements for people with epilepsy.
The report can be downloaded for free on the IOM website
April 1, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Teenage drivers and traumatic brain injury
The Insurance Journal has a cites a recent report by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance Company that thirty percent of teens involved in serious car crashes suffer head injuries, including concussion, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries (TBI).
The study looked at crashes among more than 55,000 teen drivers and their passengers who were seriously injured each year in 2009 and 2010.
The study authors said that programs focused on Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) and increasing seat belt use are proven effective strategies.
The authors recommend that states utilize evidence-based programs aimed at increasing belt use, reducing distractions, and teaching key driving skills, such as speed control and hazard detection, in keeping teens safe on the road.
March 31, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Become a Certified Brain Injury Specialist
The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is offering training and testing for the Certified Brain Injury Specialist exam at their Annual Conference in Albany, NY on Wednesday, June 6, from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Participants must submit an application and payment by April 15.
Certified Brain Injury Certification (CBIS) was created by the Brain Injury Association of America to ensure that professionals have a strong foundation in the best practices in brain injury rehabilitation. The CBIS certification provides specialists with a historical, scientific, and social background in brain injury.
CBIS Requirements: The CBIS certification is developed and administered through the Brain Injury Association of America. Applicants must have a high school education and 500 hours of paid work experience in the field of brain injury over the past 3 years. You can review the qualifications for the certification by clicking here to ensure that you meet the experience requirements.
Registration Information: To register, visit the Brain Injury Association of New York State web site. Questions: Contact Erin Weaver or (518) 459-7911.
March 30, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
AYSO Concussion Management Recommendations Leave a Lot to be Desired
The American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) has announced recommendations for the management of concussions. Unfortunately, these recommendations are so weak that they provide little protection to children participating in soccer activities and provide parents with a false sense of security. The AYSO Board of Directors has approved the following concussion management recommendations:
•Use of the AYSO/CDC Concussion Information Sheet to inform all parents and players about the signs and symptoms of concussion and the associated risks. Find the Information Sheet by clicking here. It should be manadatory that all parents receive be required to receive and read this information sheet before their child is permitted to partipate.
•Encourage ALL coaches, referees, and Section, Area and Region Board Members to take the CDC’s free online Concussion Awareness Training which can be found by clicking here . Coaches and referrees should be required to take this training program and be required to take participate in yearly updates.
•Any player suspected by the coach, referee or parent to have a concussion must be removed from further participation for at least the remainder of the day, Requirements should be imposed that before a child with a concussion or suspected concussion be allowed to return to play that they obtain medical clearance and there must also be a requirement that players who have sustained a cconcussion or a suspected concussion be required to be kept out of play for at least a week.
•Parents should be encouraged to seek professional medical treatment at the time of injury and secure medical clearance before being allowed to return to play. This should be mandatory.
March 29, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
California Sports Concussion Management Conference
The Sports Concussion Institute is sponsoring the 6th Annual National Summit on Sports Concussion & Other Athletic Injuries in Los Angelis, California on Friday June 22, 2012.
The Conference looks at established recommendations and the emerging science on sports concussion, concussion management and return to play decisions.
Click here for more information.
March 28, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Heads Up Film Festival – Give Brain Injury a Voice on Facebook
The Centers for Disease Control has developed a Facebook page to allow victims of traumatic brain injury and family members to share their story, experiences, successes, challenges, goals, memories and the hopes that motivate them each day.
The site is designed to give traumatic brain injury, known as the “silent epidemic” a voice.
Who can post a video story?
All are welcome! The film festival is non-competitive and open to all. Whether you are a survivor, family member, caregiver, health care professional, parent, coach, teacher, researcher or anyone who cares about brain injury – lend your voice and share your story!
Tell Your Story
Create a video and share your story online at the Heads Up Film Festival. Or if you'd rather share your story without video, visit CDC Heads Up Facebook page
March 27, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Neurosurgeons join to promote brain injury awareness
The American Academy of Neurosurgeons (AANS) has announced that it has declared the theme of its 2012 National Neurosurgery Awareness Week (NNAW), scheduled for April 15-21, 2012, to be: Make Concussion Awareness a Part of Your Playbook.
The neurosurgical group has partnered with with ThinkFirst (a foundation committed to preventing traumatic brain and spinal injuries) and WalkSafe™ (a program focused on improving pediatric pedestrian safety, encouraging physical activity and advocating walkability around elementary schools) to encourgage the use of bicycle helmets by all school aged children.
The AANS also has updated its Patient Information pages on concussion and sports-related head injury which can be viewed by clicking here.
March 26, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Important Message on Nursing Home and Hospital Care in New York
Stop Nursing Home & Hospital Chains From Taking Over Patient Care In New York State
The NY Senate's budget proposal includes a provision to allow chain ownership of healthcare facilities - including nursing homes and hospitals - in New York State. This would radically change the "business" of healthcare in New York. The State has long prohibited private equity like publically traded corporations from owning healthcare facilities as a means of protecting New Yorkers from providers whose first priority might be satisfying their shareholders and who could remove assets and operations from the state, thus making them unaccountable for the care they provide to our citizens.
According to a recent report from The Center for Medicare Advocacy click here:
In 2011, the first-ever analysis of the ten largest for-profit nursing home chains reported that between 2003 and 2008, compared to all other ownership groups, facilities owned by the top ten for-profit chains had:
1. The lowest staffing levels;
2. The highest number of deficiencies identified by public regulatory agencies; and
3. The highest number of deficiencies causing harm or jeopardy to residents.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in 2011 that nursing facilities acquired between 2004 and 2007 by the top ten private equity firms:
1. Had more total deficiencies than not-for-profit facilities;
2. Reported lower total nurse staffing ratios; and
3. Showed capital-related cost increases and higher profit margins, compared to other facilities.
In 2010, the GAO reported that compared to other nursing facilities, Special Focus Facilities (i.e., those identified by CMS as among the poorest performing facilities nationwide):
1. Are more likely to be part of a chain and for-profit, compared to other facilities;
2. Have fewer registered nurses per resident day; and
3. Are ranked lower on CMS’s Five-Star System.
In short, opening the door for private equity to operate in New York would put New Yorkers at serious risk. This is not a step that should be taken lightly or slipped into a large budget proposal. Please speak out now to let Governor Cuomo and our Senators and Assembly members know that you are concerned about this issue. Click here to take action now.
The New York based nursing home and medical malpractice lawyers at De Caro & Kaplen, LLP can assist you in a case against a nursing home for poor care casuing bed sores, falls, medication errors or patient abuse.
March 25, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
ADDICTION & BRAIN INJURY CONFERENCE
A conference exploring the connection between addition and brain injury, jointly sponsored by the NYS Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services and the Brain Injury Association of New York State will be held on May 22, 2012 from 8:30 am-4:30 pm at: schenectady Community College, Begley Hall, 78 Washington Avenue, Schenectady, N.Y.
CASAC Credits available. The Training is provided free of charge to all providers and students.
RSVP by May 14, 2012 by clicking here .
March 22, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Brain Injury Awareness Day-Capital Hil, This Wednesday
This Wednesday, March 21, 2012, Brain Injury Awareness Day will be celebrated in Washington DC. In conjunction with the Brain Injury Association of America, the U.S. House of Representatives will be hosting a brain injury awareness fair followed by a congressional briefing and reception.
I will be attending this year’s events and look forward to meeting you.
The full schedule for the day is as follows:
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: Brain Injury Awareness Fair
First Floor Foyer of the Rayburn House Office Building
2:30 – 4:00 PM: Briefing: “The Impact of Traumatic Brain Injury: Any Time, Anyone, Any Age”
Capitol Visitors Center – Congressional Meeting Room North
5:30 – 7:30 PM: Reception Celebrating Brain Injury Awareness Month
B-354, Rayburn House Office Building
March 19, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Veterans Brain Injury Services Free Webinar
The Brain Injury Association of New York State (BIANYS) is offering a free webinar, “Veteran-Directed and VA Home-Based Services: Opportunities in NY and Beyond”
The webinar is scheduled for Wednesday, March 28, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. -2:15 p.m.. ET
You need to register by Tuesday, March, 27th.
The presenter, Dianne Kayala, is the Director of New Initiatives with the National Resource Center for Participant-Directed Services where she leads the Veteran-Directed Home and Community-Based Services (VD-HCBS) project and Innovations Grants. She was formerly the administrator of adult Medicaid services in Rhode Island and served on the Executive Committee of the NationalAssociation of State Head Injury Administrators for five years.
For registration information and to register, click here.
March 15, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Brain Injury Attorney Michael Kaplen joins WFAN Icon Bob Salter to discuss brain injury awareness, brain injury prevention and brain injury rehabilitation
On Sunday, March 11th, New York brain injury attorney, Michael V. Kaplen joined WFAN icon Bob Salter on his morning talk show to discuss the Brain Injury Awareness Month and this year’s theme, “Brain Injury-Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone”
With reports according to the Centers for Disease Control of over 1.7 million brain injuries occurring each year in the United States and a 60% increase in reported concussions in hospital emergency departments over the past ten years, traumatic brain injury has reached epidemic levels.
Brain injuries can last a life time and can have a profound impact on all aspects of an individual’s life.
Michael joined Bob Salter for a full hour discussion on the many aspects of brain injury awareness, brain injury prevention and brain injury rehabilitation. You can click here to listen to the full show.
March 12, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
What to look for after a concussion in children when they return to school
A new study appearing in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine confirms that children may suffer attention and memory difficulties following a concussion for a year following the original injury and sometimes even longer.
The confirmation that brain damage following a concussion can last a lifetime has important implications for the role of the school and educators in dealing with the long term deficits following a traumatic brain injury. Schools need to focus on the need to provide assistance and accommodations to students returning to the classroom following a concussion,
The study found that children with brain injuries were more likely to have both "somatic" symptoms like headache, fatigue and balance problems, and cognitive symptoms such as forgetfulness and attention problems.
The somatic symptoms tended to wane over time, but in some cases the cognitive problems persisted, particularly for those children who lost consciousness when they hit their head or had abnormal results on an MRI scan.
According to the most recent statements by the Centers for Disease Control, when students return to school after a concussion, school professionals should watch for:
- Increased problems paying attention or concentrating
- Increased problems remembering or learning new information
- Longer time needed to complete tasks or assignments
- Difficult organizing tasks or shifting between tasks
- Inappropriate or impulsive behavior during class
- Greater irritability
- Lessor ability to cope with stress
- Being more emotional than usual
- Fatigue
- Difficulties handling a stimulating environment (lights, noise, etc.)
- Physical symptoms (headache, nausea, dizziness)
March 10, 2012 | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)
