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What are the symptoms of an ABI?
Symptoms and related deficits fall into four major groups: Cognitive, Perceptual, Physical and Behavioral/Emotional. Keep in mind that because of the uniqueness of each injury, some survivors may or may not face or exhibit some or all of the symptoms. The number of symptoms doesn't reflect on the impact that the injury will have on the survivors. Much of that depends on where the injury is located. The following is, by no means, a complete or comprehensive listing.
- Difficulty in processing information (decreased speed, accuracy and consistency)
- Shortened attention span
- Inability to understand abstract concepts
- Impaired decision-making ability
- Inability to shift mental tasks or to follow multi-step directions
- Memory loss or impairment
- Language deficits (difficulty expressing thoughts and understanding others, inappropriate word selection)
- Change in vision, hearing or sense of touch
- Loss of sense of time and space and spatial disorientation
- Disorders of smell and taste
- Altered sense of balance
- Increased pain sensitivity
- Persistent headache
- Extreme mental and/or physical fatigue
- Disorders of movement - gaiting, ataxia, spasticity and tremors
- Seizure activity (traumatic epilepsy)Impaired small motor control
- Photosensitivity (sensitivity to light)
- Sleep disorders
- Paralysis
- Speech that is not clear due to poor control of the muscles in the lips, tongue and jaw and/or poor breathing patterns
- Irritability and impatience
- Reduced tolerance for stress
- Lack of initiative, apathy
- Dependence (failure to assume responsibility for one's actions
- Denial of disability
- Lack of inhibition (may result in aggression, cursing and inappropriate sexual behavior
- Inflexibility
- Flattened or heightened emotional responses/reactions
Cognitive Symptoms
Perceptual Symptoms
Physical Symptoms
Behavioral/Emotional Symptoms