A leading cause of death and disability in school-aged children is traumatic brain injury (TBI). Children with TBI may face new academic challenges, largely due to impairment of concentration, attention, and processing speed following their injury. Although students with TBI may share some characteristics of students with other disabilities, TBI is distinct in that children are faced with sudden significant impairment, while other students’ learning or behavior disorders are usually longstanding. TBI is also a challenging undertaking for educators because of the dynamic nature of TBI recovery, in which symptoms may occur at a late onset, long after the injury.
Researchers have estimated that fewer than 18% of students who need special education services for TBI actually receive them. This problem becomes especially apparent when students experience delayed-onset symptoms and, as a result, are diagnosed with a specific learning disability or behavior disorder based rather than TBI. In addition to clinicians, educators in the classroom setting are responsible for helping students overcome these academic obstacles, which can be complicated and overwhelming.
Beyond the costs of under-identified learning difficulties related to TBI, misidentification of TBI is also an issue in the classroom. A recent study aimed to evaluate the extent of TBI knowledge in the classrooms of Spanish-speaking countries, surveying 2,238 school professionals on their knowledge of TBI. The study found that special education teachers and those with previous experience teaching a student with TBI were able to correctly identify a greater number of TBI symptoms compared to other educators. While a wide variety of symptoms are possible after TBI, the study found that educators most commonly misidentified these non-TBI symptoms as legitimate signs of TBI: epileptic seizure (46.8%), loss of tactile sensitivity (35.3%), and fainting (29.3%).
Common misconceptions about TBI among educators:
- “Children who have had a TBI are not more likely than others to have a second TBI.” Children who have sustained a first TBI are more likely to have a second TBI, which is a critical risk factor for school professionals to be aware of. The study found that 36.1% of educators surveyed were not aware of this circumstance. In addition to helping students manage their TBI recovery, it is also important to be vigilant about preventing future injuries in the school setting.
- “TBI affects boys and girls equally.” The survey found that one-third of educators believed that TBI affects boys and girls in the same proportion. While the proportion of TBI in boys and girls varies with age, school-aged boys are generally more likely to experience a TBI, which may be significant in the identification process for TBI-related academic support.
- TBI sequelae symptoms. Many educators misidentified the major symptoms of TBI as epileptic seizure, loss of tactile sensitivity, and fainting. However, many educators did correctly identify many academically pertinent symptoms, including problems with attention and memory, motor slowness, and headaches.
Spreading TBI knowledge in the classroom setting:
- Comprehensive teacher training. During their academic training, and throughout the practice of their profession, teachers should be provided with adequate information and management skills for students with TBI. To meet the academic and behavioral needs of students with TBI, it is necessary to improve the assessment and identification of TBI in the classroom setting.
- Educational campaigns. Broad education and awareness campaigns targeted towards the general population serve to benefit the accommodation of individuals with TBI in public settings, as well as to prevent future TBI from occurring. Possessing a general knowledge of TBI is not only necessary for teachers, but also students’ peers, families, and community members.
References:
Olabarrieta-Landaa L, Ramos-Usugac D, Benito-Sánchez I, et al. School professionals’ knowledge about pediatric traumatic brain injury: an international study. Brain Injury. (November 2022).
Maas A, Menon D, Adelson P, et al. Traumatic brain injury: Integrated approaches to improve prevention, clinical care, and research. The Lancet Neurology. (December 2017).
Ettel D, Glang A, Todis B, et al. Traumatic brain injury: Persistent misconceptions and
knowledge gaps among educators. exceptionality education international. (February 2016).