Traumatic Brain Injury's Severity Assessment, Treatment and Rehabilitation - Concussion Prevention is Better than Cure - Term Paper Example

This is because it is caused by circumstances that can be avoided if people are given the proper education. This involves the importance of permanently protecting the head and spinal cord.

Prevention strategies To prevent concussion, it is essential to begin by learning the physical causes of this neurological disorder and the precautions that can be taken to stop them. Different strategies can be applied to avoid circumstances leading to a concussion. Medical facilitators have identified and categorized groups of people who are prone to concussion injuries. Adults above the age of 65years and children below the age of 4 are reported to fall under the most affected group (Coetzer. 2006). This is because many deaths reported as a result of concussion injuries are associated with adults above the age of 65years and children with 4years and below.

In this case, these groups of people should be highly monitored. Children below the age of 4 years are vulnerable to concussion injuries as they are very playful and may not identify or communicate their exact problem; thus should be closely monitored. It is important to apply caution in one's daily routine to reduce the chances of involving in situations that may, in turn, lead to a concussion. Motor vehicle accidents are the most common cause of concussion injuries (Desrocher & Autism. 2012).

Standard life rules such as always using safety belts when driving, using headgear when cycling, obeying traffic rules as a pedestrian or driver and disengaging in violent acts such as riots and street fights are some of the fundamental aspects to be considered in the strive to prevent cases of traumatic brain injuries. Athletes are another group with a higher chance of being affected by concussions. To prevent concussion injuries, athletes should limit sports-related injuries by wearing the proper protective equipment, learning safe sporting techniques and reporting to the medical staff if they notice any concussion symptoms.

Learning concussion symptoms is another method of preventing neurological disorders. This aspect promotes the prevention of adverse effects in circumstances where a person incidentally falls victim to a concussion (Culebras. 2010). Some of the primary symptoms of concussion include: somatic, behavioural change, cognitive impairment, and visual disturbance, and sleep disturbance, development of physical signs such as loss of consciousness, unsteadiness as well as amnesia and slowness in answering questions or following instructions (Kim. 2012). A person suffering from a concussion is easily distracted, unaware of time, date or place; he or she makes incomprehensible or disjointed statements, is unable to remember words or objects in order, and stumbles when walking.

Assessment, treatment, and management of concussion injuries A concussion is divided into three forms: Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. In grade 1, symptoms last less than a quarter of an hour, and there is no loss of consciousness. Grade 2, symptoms last for more than a quarter an hour, and there is no loss of consciousness. In Grade 3, a loss of consciousness may last several minutes (Kim. 2012). A medical evolution of the problem may require long-term medical rehabilitation before the brain begins to function normally.

The rehabilitation procedure involves various stages. Evaluation is the first stage, where a medical assessment involving a comprehensive history and a detailed neurological examination is carried out. The evaluation of the patient’s mental status, gait and balanced is also included in the first stage of the rehabilitation procedure (Kim. 2012). The clinical status of the patient is accessed at this stage. The second stage is the assessment and screen tests phase, which involves using X-rays, MRI, scans, and SCAT3 to assess the patient's progress.

The third stage is the rest phase, where the patient refrained from watching television, extensive reading, daytime sleep, and physical activities. The final step is the treatment and management phase which involves pain treatment, pharmacotherapy, physical exercise, academic education, and reaction testing. Concussion injuries do not have a specific duration in which the patient must undergo rehabilitation procedures to recover fully. The process may take several days, weeks or months, depending on how severe the injuries appear and the patient's response towards the treatment.