Pediatrics
Parenting Issues
Last Updated:
Brain Injury does not occur in a vacuum. It affects everyone involved who had close contact with the child or adolescent experiencing this event. Parenting is one of the major areas of family life that is frequently affected following an acquired brain injury. Specialized knowledge, skill and support are most often needed in this situation. Unfortunately, this is also one of that is frequently neglected during rehabilitation and recovery.
In general, parenting style and demands will change following a child or adolescent brain injury. A critical component to parenting is to understand the child or adolescent’s level of recovery and ability to cope with information on three levels: (a) cognitive, (b) emotional, and (c) social.
A family/parenting assessment or evaluation conducted by a trained professional is often the first step to enhanced family functioning. This type of evaluation examines parents’ need for changes in their parenting role, understanding of problem behaviors and need for special attention, support and education regarding recovery and rehabilitation. In addition, communication patterns among family members and a global assessment of family functioning is often indicated to promote improved family coping with this situation. As noted above, the child or adolescent’s thinking abilities need to be considered and understood when communicating with them. Emotional and social functioning are also largely affected by brain injury.
Parents struggle with accepting the changes that the brain injury often creates for their child’s future. One example would be the parent who expected their child to obtain a college degree only to re-adjust their expectations to a more vocationally oriented track. The essence of this re-adjustment is to recognize and continually adapt to the person’s limitations while simultaneously focusing efforts on their strengths.
A comment made by one family member illustrated the overwhelming demands encountered by families—“you don’t know anybody with a brain injury until it happens to your family, then you suddenly have to be an expert”.
According to the Brain Injury Association Guidelines (1998), there are several things that families need to remember, which include:
- Reinforce the behaviors you would like to see increase.
- When safety is not an issue, try to ignore behaviors you would like to decrease.
- Model behaviors you would like to increase.
- Avoid situations that provoke behaviors that you are trying to reduce.
- Structure the environment; use cues for positive behaviors. Plan for rest periods.
- Redirect the person rather than challenging him/her.
- Seek professional help sooner rather than later.
A professional experienced in the assessment and treatment of acquired brain injury can often provide the essential help the parent and/or family member needs in coping with decision making, planning for the future, and handling the issues that arise after an acquired brain injury. This should be a licensed and/or certified expert who works in the field of brain injury rehabilitation or treatment and has knowledge of both family/parenting issues and brain injury
Helpful links:
Brain Injury Assocation (National)
Coma Recovery Association
The Brain Trust (The Healing Exchange)
John Sass is a clinical neuropsychologist specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of individuals and family members who have sustained acquired brain injuries. He is the consulting neuropsychologist for the Restore Neurobehavioral Program in Roswell, Ga and maintains a private practice at the Center for Cognitive Rehabilitation in Dacatur, Ga.