Brain Injury Research Center Partners with School
Recently, a brain injury partnership was announced between the Center on Brain Injury Research and Training (CBIRT) and a local school system. The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) awarded the partnership a 4-year partnership funded by more than $2 million. This partnership is going to study a return to school program that was developed for students looking to resume their education following a major brain injury.
While people of any age can suffer a TBI, children are among the most common. Children often participate in competitive sports where they are prone to sustaining a concussion. They are also more likely to engage in risk-taking behavior that might place them in harm’s way. Younger children are also difficult for drivers to spot, making them vulnerable to getting struck by a motor vehicle. For this reason, it is important to study how students who suffer a serious brain injury return to school.
An Overview of the Research Study
The goal of this research study is to compare the performance of students in this specific return to school program designed by CBIRT and the local school system with other similar situations across the country. Ultimately, the researchers would like to figure out the strengths and weaknesses of the program so that they can fine-tune their design to better serve students throughout the United States.
According to information from the leaders of the team, an effective return to school program following a severe neurological injury should incorporate a variety of metrics. Among these are:
- Identification and screening of students to determine when they can return to school using standardized assessments
- Thorough, regular, and systematic communication between medical providers and the school district regarding the health of these students
- Regular tracking of the child’s school performance and medical progress over time
- Education and professional development for teachers and other school officials regarding brain injuries in children
The goal of this program is to better serve the needs of these students. These metrics are important in reaching this goal.
The Design of the Brain Injury Partnership Research Study
Although the medical system plays an important role in providing lifesaving treatment and guiding the initial phase of the recovery, officials say that the school system also spends a tremendous amount of time helping these students resume their life. Therefore, their role needs to be better defined.
In this study, an experiment will be done to compare students in the CBIRT program with other school systems across the country. The study is going to follow 600 students in the local school district who have suffered a serious head injury. The performance of these students will be tracked over time. Then, the performance of these students will be compared to 600 students in a separate school district, which does not have a formalized brain injury return to school program in place.
The researchers are going to track the medical health of each child, their social outcomes (such as their ability to interact with their peers), and their academic performance. This will provide a quantitative component that will help the researchers identify the strengths and weaknesses of their return to school program.
Future Directions for the Brain Injury Partnership
Because the brain of a child is still developing, a neurological injury during this process can be devastating. It might alter the way the brain develops, leading to lifelong consequences. This brain injury partnership understands how important it is to help kids get back on track following a TBI. This partnership is going to test a standardized return to school program to see how children with a TBI can resume their education. Future research studies will want to improve upon this current model and expand it to more school systems across the country.
San Francisco Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a brain injury lawyer in San Francisco. It can be a challenge for someone to return to school following a brain injury. Should you or your child suffer a TBI in a serious accident, call me at (415) 805-7284 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
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