Brain Injury Awareness Month

Brain Injury Awareness

I don’t normally enjoy repeatedly talking about one subject, calling attention to the same item, often revisiting the same subject matter, making a habit of a single event, writing sentences that are redundant in nature, etc. BUT, it is Brain Injury Awareness Month, and even though I’ve addressed brain injuries in multiple forums before (see blog, twitter, research paper, facebook, my desktop), I can’t let March slip away without recognizing it.

Why? Because our brains are fairly important to our livelihood. Also because school aged children, whether athletes or recess aficionados or novice monkey bar users, are at risk for a head injury. As the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) banner boasts, “Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone, Brain injuries do not discriminate”. Head injuries can range from a bumped noggin, to an oral facial injury, to a concussion, or a more serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to the BIAA, 1.7 million Americans suffer a brain injury each year, and 3.5 million suffer a TBI. Can’t say that I like those numbers.

You can look up the statistics and awareness events in your state, as I did for North Carolina. According to the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina (BIANC), “[Brain injury] is the leading cause of death and disability among young people in North Carolina.” In addition, brain injury impacts five times as many people as breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, spinal cord injury, and MS combined. So, I think it’s safe for us to agree that brain injury awareness is not only important, it’s vital. Training, education, preventative measures, and action following a brain injury are essential.

BIAA makes brain injury advocacy easy by providing a fact sheet, flyer and poster, and promotion guide. Between those items, and the power of social media, it shouldn’t be too difficult to generate interest and awareness around brain injury, and the importance of prevention, research, treatment, and education.

For further information about brain injury:

Want to know how TBIs are impacting student athletes? Our Concussions and Student Athletes inforgraphic gives you stats, graphics, and guidance about children and teens with TBIs.