Clarion University's Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Support Group will meet Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in room 36 of Keeling Health Center. All survivors of TBI and their families and friends are invited to attend. Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month (except March) Future meeting dates include March 16, April 13, May 11, and June 8.
A TBI is the result of a blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the function of the brain. Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI. The severity of such an injury may range from "mild," a brief change in mental status or consciousness, to "severe," an extended period of unconsciousness or loss of memory after the injury. The terms "concussion" and "mild TBI" are interchangeable.
A TBI classified as moderate or severe can result in short-term or long-term problems with independent function. Most TBIs are mild, and those who sustain them usually recover completely within one to three months.
Nearly 1.4 million people sustain a TBI each year in the United States. Of the 1.4 million: 50,000 die, 235,000 are hospitalized, and 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department. The number of people with TBI who are not seen in an emergency department or who receive no care is unknown.
Males are about 1.5 times as likely as females to sustain a TBI. The highest risk age groups for TBI are zero to four year olds and 15-19 year olds. Certain military duties may increase the chance of sustaining a TBI. African Americans have the highest death rate from TBI.
Symptoms of mild TBI/concussion are headaches, dizziness, excessive fatigue, concentration problems, forgetting things, irritability, balance problems, vision change, and sleep disturbance.
For more information, contact Mary Pat McCarthy at (814) 393-2586, or e-mail mmccarthy@clarion.edu.
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