Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is any injury to the brain caused by trauma to the head. Half of all TBIs are due to accidents involving automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians. Motor vehicle accidents are the major cause of TBI in people under age 75. For those 75 and older, falls cause the majority of TBIs. Approximately twenty percent of TBIs are due to violence, such as gunshots and child abuse. About three percent are due to sports injuries.
If there is trauma to the brain but the skull is not broken, the TBI is known as a closed head injury. This could occur, for example, if a person in an automobile accident hits his head on the steering wheel but doesn’t have a skull fracture. If an object such as a bullet penetrates the skull and injures the brain, the TBI is known as a penetrating head injury. Symptoms of mild TBI include headache, confusion, lightheadedness, dizziness, blurred vision or tired eyes, ringing in the ears, bad taste in the mouth, fatigue, a change in sleep patterns, mood changes, and trouble with memory, concentration, attention, or thinking. The injury may or may not result in a brief period of unconsciousness. While children with a TBI may have the same symptoms as adults, there are some symptoms unique to young children, including persistent crying and refusing to nurse or eat.
