Traumatic brain injuries are the leading cause of disability among children. Unfortunately, it is all too easy for a child to suffer from a fall or a car accident that results in head trauma and prolonged, lingering brain damage. As the fight to understand the nature of traumatic brain injuries progresses, scientists have discovered the ways that a child’s brain injury causes structural changes in the brain. These structural changes may actually prove to be beneficial toward brain injury research, making it easier to identify those patients who will require a longer recovery.
The Science Behind the Study
The study found that children who had a longer information transfer time between the two brain hemispheres had widespread areas of white matter disorganized, along with a progressive loss of white matter volume. The disruption is made more intense since the brain is still maturing. The process of myelination – in which myelin, the insulation that allows for information transfer, develops – continues beyond age 30. The study found that children who took more than 18 milliseconds to transfer information between their brain hemispheres had a more difficult time recovering from traumatic brain injury than others with similar afflictions.
The white matter readings can potentially work as a sort of indicator, which will help doctors to determine the extent of a brain injury and the seriousness of it. If these structural changes are found in a child with a brain injury, then the doctors will be far more aware of the steps to take moving forward. They will be able to make a more detailed and effective recovery plan, and will have a greater understanding of the long-term issues that may arise from the injury. Doctors may be able to develop interventions that can help outside of the hospital.
Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates Help Victims of Accidents
More than 55 percent of brain injuries in children of ages 0-14 occur due to accidents. If you or someone you know has suffered from a car accident or pedestrian accident, then the Philadelphia car accident lawyers and pedestrian accident lawyers at Geoffrey B. Gompers & Associates are ready to help. To schedule a consultation, call us at 215-567-6600 or contact us online. From our offices in Philadelphia, we serve clients in Bala Cynwyd, Merion Station, Darby, Upper Darby, Sharon Hill, Wynnewood, Narberth, Clifton Heights, Folcroft, Lansdowne, Glenolden, Drexel Hill, Havertown, Cheltenham, Ardmore, Norwood, Holmes, Essington, Elkins Park, Prospect Park, Gladwyne, Chester County, Delaware County, and New Jersey.