Blog by Lisa Turan, Chief Executive

With the news a few days ago that Michael Schumacher is no longer in a coma and the world’s media looking at brain injury, and focusing on recovery and rehabilitation, it seemed an apt time to highlight the impact an acquired brain injury can have on the family and how many of the families we support will know what the Schumacher family will be going through. All our thoughts are currently with the Schumacher family.

A brain injury is so different to a broken arm, a fractured rib or any other broken or fractured bone. The brain effects who we are and what we do, so people often behave differently and can seem a different person to the one they were before their brain injury. A brain injury can have a devastating impact on a family.

We support many families whose lives have been turned completely upside down- parents can go from having a child with the world at their feet to suddenly having to deal with dozens of different medics and health professionals that could be helping their child to learn how to swallow, speak, walk and talk again. This can be an incredibly frustrating time for the child, as they have to re-learn skills they had already learnt and mastered. As each brain injury is different, there is no way of knowing exactly what difficulties the child may face in the future. Parents will often have to encourage and show their love from the side of a hospital bed or a rehabilitation room, whilst at the same time coming to terms with the realisation that their expectations for their child may be quite different to before their child’s acquired brain injury. At the same time families will have to navigate through a maze of new services, whilst adjusting to living each day as it happens, as opposed to being able to plan in advance. Parents have to cope with all this whilst the rest of the world carries on in exactly the same fashion as before. Parents will not be the only ones whose world suddenly changes- siblings may crave attention or feel huge guilt for what has happened to their brother or sister. Their world changes as quickly as that of their brother or sister.

Rehabilitation from a brain injury can be an extremely long road and it’s a journey that can take months/ years and sadly sometimes will never be completed. This can be a very testing time for the family, as most would like to have a feeling of ‘normality’ as soon as possible. Some people will never have the functions and capabilities they had before their brain injury. So a family may have to adjust quickly to different expectations.

The Child Brain Injury Trust helps children affected by childhood acquired brain injury and their families at any stage of their journey with an acquired brain injury. Our support services include dedicated Child and Family Support workers, a national helpline, in-depth website, sibling support and family events. Every day we help make a big difference to the lives of families affected by childhood acquired brain injury. With no central government funding we rely on donations, fundraising initiatives and grants from trusts to enable us to make the big difference we make for children and young people affected by childhood acquired brain injury and their families. To find out more and make a donation, please visit www.childbraininjurytrust.org.uk.