Acceleration-deceleration injury
This is when the head is driven forwards and backwards with great force, causing the brain to bounce back and forth within the skull.
Acquired brain injury
It is often shortened to ‘ABI’. The ‘acquired’ part means simply that the child wasn’t born with their injury – it is the result of an accident or illness that has happened later.
Acute
This is the period of time when any kind of illness is at its most serious and dangerous.
Analgesia
Medicine given to reduce pain. It might also be given to prevent pain developing. It can take the form of a liquid, tablets, suppositories or a drip.
Anoxia (the most severe form of hypoxia)
This happens when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen : in hypoxia the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen.
This can happen through near drowning and asphyxiation (which is where someone cannot breathe at all), among other reasons.
Sometimes this kind of acquired brain injury is called hypoxic brain injury.
Anticonvulsant
A medicine used to control seizures or fits.
Antiemetic
Medicine given to prevent nausea or vomiting.
Assessments
These are the different tests and procedures staff might carry out. The aim is to establish what’s going on and how best to deal with it.
Ataxia
Difficulties coordinating movements.
Atraumatic acquired brain injury (sometimes called non-traumatic acquired brain injury)
To describe something as serious as acquired brain injury as ‘non-traumatic’ may seem strange to parents. But the term is used to separate atraumatic injuries from those caused by a blow (or trauma) to the head.
One way of thinking about it is to say an atraumatic acquired brain injury is the result of things going on inside the body, such as a stroke or meningitis.
Bone flap removal/craniotomy
This is a surgical procedure. A piece is removed from the skull to relieve increased intracranial pressure.
Burr hole
A hole made in the skull in surgery to relieve increased intracranial pressure.
There is more about surgery in our section on assessments and treatments.
Cannula/drip
A small tube that’s placed through the skin and into the vein. It’s usually in a hand or arm (but sometimes in the foot/scalp of small children). It might be used to give medicine, drain fluid or to insert a medical instrument. When medication and fluid is given this way, it is described as being given ‘intravenously’.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
The fluid made by our brains which makes its way around the brain and the spinal cord: it bathes the brain and spinal cord and fills the ventricles. The brain effectively floats in this fluid and is thereby cushioned.
Clinical psychology/clinical psychologist
The aims of clinical psychology are wide-ranging. These professionals may give children emotional support as they go through stressful times such as a medical procedure. They might help children with emotional difficulties or give advice about how children can talk about their condition and their feelings with friends and family.
Closed head injuries
These are the most common kind of head injury. The ‘closed’ means simply that there isn’t a break in the skull, and the brain is not exposed.
Cognitive functioning/cognition/cognitive
These terms are all talking about the processes that go on in our minds. Our cognitive function is the way we think, understand the world around us, make judgements, and reason.
Cognitive fatigue
This is where the functions described above ‘slow down’ and become tired because a child is fatigued.
Contact sports
Any sporting activity where there is a risk of impact to the head. Examples might be rugby, football, boxing or horse riding.
Concussion
This literally means ‘to be shaken violently’ and is usually caused by a blow to the head. A concussion may cause a temporary loss of consciousness. But there does not have to be any loss of consciousness to have concussion.
A concussion may result in someone feeling dazed or confused. A concussion may cause a mild or moderate brain injury.
Consultant
A senior doctor who will be a specialist in their field.
Contrast
The dye injected before some X-rays, CT and MRI scans.
Read more about these scans in our section on assessments and treatments.
Contusion
These are injuries that bruise part of the brain.
Convulsion
A seizure or fit.
Coup-countrecoup
These are contusions (see definition above) that are at the place of the impact, but also on the opposite side of the brain. This is where the force of the impact causes the brain to move in the skull and to hit the other side of the skull.
Craniotomy/bone flap removal
This is where the skull is opened to relieve pressure that has built up. Sometimes, a piece is removed from the skull to relieve pressure.
CT scan (computerised tomography)
A CT scanner does a similar job to an X-ray machine, but at a much more advanced level. Rather than sending out just one ray, the CT scanner sends lots of beams from different directions, building up a detailed picture of the brain.
Discharge
This is when the healthcare professionals have decided a patient is safe to go home.
Discharge planning meeting
The aim of these meetings is to make sure your child has a ‘care plan’ on leaving hospital. This is a plan of action to set out what kind of care your child needs and who will provide it. Read our section on hospital.
Disinhibition
Some children with acquired brain injury can behave in a way that is described as 'disinhibited'. This means that children may act impulsively, or in a way that suggests they haven't thought about what those around them might think.
Read our section on behaviour.
Drip/cannula
A small tube that’s placed through the skin and into the vein. It’s usually in a hand or arm (but sometimes in the foot/scalp of small children). It might be used to give medicine, drain fluid or to insert a medical instrument. When medication and fluid is given this way, it is described as being given ‘intravenously’.
Dysphagia
When the muscles we use for swallowing become weak or uncoordinated and a child can no longer swallow. This might mean a child has to be fed using a special tube.
Educational, Health and Care plans
If your child’s needs are significant and complex and require a level of support that is at a higher level than the school can meet, it may be decided with you that a request is made for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessment which can lead to a Educational, Health and Care plan (EHCP).
Educational psychology/educational psychologist
This branch of psychology looks at the way children learn, and their individual strengths and difficulties. As with all children, the broad aim for those with ABI is to support those who may be experiencing problems in their education.
Read our section on 'who's who in education'.
Extra-ventricular drainage (EVD)
This is a system used to measure the production of cerebrospinal fluid, or to relieve pressure within the brain by draining off fluid.
Family therapy
This approach reaches beyond the child to include his or her family. A brain injury can result in enormous disruption to the family routine and the way its members relate to one another. The aims for each family will be very different. Broadly speaking, family therapists help family members to help each other.
Fits/seizures
Seizures are caused when there’s a problem with the tiny electrical signals that run around our brains. Fits and seizures may take the form of a sudden loss of consciousness, a change in the state of consciousness or uncontrollable shaking in the body.
Focal damage
This is an injury to a specific part of the brain. This is compared to a ‘diffuse’ injury which is more widespread and affects different parts of the brain.
Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)
This is a form of assessment healthcare professionals use to get an understanding of a patient’s consciousness. A child might be asked questions like: “Can you tell me your name?”, “Would you wiggle your toes?”.
GP
Your general practitioner is your family doctor. These healthcare professionals refer children to more specialised services.
HDU – a High Dependency Unit
This is a unit at the hospital for people who need a high level of care.
Health visitor
A healthcare professional who visits children (and their families) at home to offer support.
Hemiparesis
Weakness in the muscles of the face, arm and leg on one side of the body. It is where someone has difficulty moving this side of the body.
Hemiplegia
Paralysis in the muscles of the face, arm and leg on one side of the body. It is where someone cannot move this side of the body.
Hydrocephalus
This happens when the brain’s cerebrospinal fluid builds up inside the ventricles of the brain. This will be because a blockage has prevented the fluid from flowing normally.
Ventricles are the small cavities within the brain that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
Hypoxia/hypoxic acquired brain injury
This happens when the brain doesn’t get enough oxygen, or it is completely deprived of oxygen.
This can happen through near drowning and asphyxiation (which is where someone cannot breathe at all), among other reasons.
IEP – an Individual Education Plan
This is an education plan teachers will set out which has been tailored to the child.
Impairment
If something is ‘impaired’ it is weakened or diminished. You may hear some professionals talk about a child’s ‘impairments’. These are the things they can’t do as well as a result of the acquired brain injury.
Infections or metabolic disorders
There are many different types of infections. Metabolic changes are a chemical or biological reaction in the body that can affect brain functioning.
An example of this might be when a virus attacks the brain, causing injury to its tissue.
Intervention
Although it sounds dramatic, intervention is just a way to describe an outside influence on someone’s behaviour. A therapy, such as physiotherapy, is a form of intervention.
Intracranial pressure/increased intracranial pressure
The skull is a solid box, which is almost fixed in size when we’re past 18 months old. When the brain swells or bleeds the result is that there is more pressure inside this solid box. This is raised intracranial pressure. If there are more fluids in this small space, they can push on the brain and cause damage.
Intracranial haemorrhage
Is bleeding in the brain. This can cause difficulties because the brain can be deprived of blood, which can damage tissue. The blood itself can also damage brain tissue.
Intravenously
When medicines or fluids are given through a small tube that’s placed through the skin and into the vein. It’s usually in a hand or arm (but sometimes in the foot/scalp of small children.
The tube might be called a cannula or a drip.
Level of consciousness
At its most simplest, this is how ‘awake’ and alert somebody is. It is also how aware somebody is of their surroundings.
Liaison nurse specialist
A nurse who specialises in supporting children and their families. They might speak with local agencies like school nurses and social workers on behalf of a family.
Local authority
Your local elected council, which may be a county council or a city council. If you live in London, it may be a borough council.
Multidisciplinary/multidisciplinary approach
This is when different professionals with different specialisms are involved in the care or rehabilitation of a child and work together.
Music therapy/music therapist
By improvising music and taking turns to make noise on instruments (or even singing), children build on their ability to interact. It’s less about developing musical ability and more about helping children take turns and make choices.
MRI scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
Instead of X-rays, the MRI scanner uses magnetic and radio waves to build up a picture of the brain.
Named nurse
A nurse who has been specifically named to take care of your child.
Neurologist
A doctor who specialises in the brain (and the rest of the nervous system) and its disorders.
Neuro obs
The observations carried out to find out how the brain is working. Healthcare professionals might check temperature, pulse, pupil reaction, co-ordination, limb strength and somebody’s awareness of their surroundings.
Neuropsychologist
A psychologist who is a specialist in the brain. Usually involved after the initial treatment process, neuropsychologists look at the way we think and how the brain is recovering.
Neurosurgeon
A surgeon who specialises in performing surgery on the brain.
Neurosurgery
Surgery on the brain.
Non-traumatic acquired brain injury (sometimes called atraumatic acquired brain injury)
To describe something as serious as acquired brain injury as ‘non-traumatic’ may seem strange. But the term is used to separate atraumatic injuries from those caused by a blow (or trauma) to the head.
Objects of reference
If a child has trouble communicating, therapists might use an ‘object of reference’. The idea is that a particular meaning or activity is attached to a particular object – perhaps a picture of a meal might be a message that it’s dinner time.
Observation
You may have heard doctors say someone is being kept in for observation. This is where healthcare staff will monitor and keep an eye on a patient.
Occupational therapy/occupational therapist/OT
Occupational therapy aims to support children with everyday tasks. Cleaning one’s teeth or getting dressed is made up of a sequence of tasks. Occupational therapists (or OTs) help children with this kind of activity.
Oedema
Is the medical term for swelling.
Open head injury
The ‘open’ means that the skull is cracked and the brain is exposed. This might have happened in some kind of collision or impact.
Healthcare professionals make the distinction between open and closed injuries. The ‘closed’ means simply that there isn’t a break in the skull, and the brain is not exposed.
Ophthalmologist
This is a doctor who is an eye specialist.
Orthopaedic surgeon
A doctor who specialises in the treatment of bones.
Paediatric
This means ‘relating to children’. So a ‘paediatric brain injury’ is one that has affected a child.
Paediatrician
A specialist in children’s healthcare.
Paediatric neurologist
A neurologist specialises in the brain and the rest of the nervous system. So a paediatric neurologist specialises in these things in children.
Physiotherapy/physiotherapists
As well as manipulating the muscles to encourage greater movement and flexibility, physiotherapy may take the form of specific exercise, or managing posture. Each child’s targets in physiotherapy will be very different.
Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)
A specialised ward for children who need a high level of care.
Planning meeting/discharge planning meeting
The aim of these meetings is to make sure your child has a ‘care plan’ on leaving hospital. This is a plan of action to set out what kind of care your child needs and who will provide it.
Play therapy/play therapist
Sometimes children find it difficult to talk through their problems and concerns in the same way an adult might. Play therapy gives children a private, confidential space to work through anything that’s troubling them.
Prophylactic analgesia
Medicine given at regular intervals to prevent pain from developing. It might take the form of liquid, tablets, suppositories or through a drip.
Post-concussion syndrome
Children may experience post-concussion syndrome weeks or months after a mild head injury. They may have headaches, dizziness, memory problems, or behavioural or communication difficulties. These children should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA)
Amnesia is where we lose our memory, or become disorientated or confused. People who’ve experienced any kind of trauma may have this kind of experience.
Referral
This is where one healthcare professional puts in a request for the services of another healthcare professional or service. If you had difficulties with your bones, your GP – or general practitioner – would refer you to a bone specialist.
Radiology
This is the department in a hospital where X-rays or other radiation techniques are used.
Reintegration
The process of a child settling back into school.
SEN
Sometimes, the professionals you deal with might abbreviate Special Educational Needs to SEN.
Social workers
These professionals can be a key ally to families in difficult times. Their principal role is to make sure everyone in a family is okay, and that they’re getting the help and services they need.
Speech and language therapy/speech and language therapists
Speech and language therapists help children in the way they communicate after an acquired brain injury. They also help with dysphagia (difficulty swallowing).
Spontaneous bleeding
There are different reasons for bleeding within the brain. One possibility is when there is a weakened blood vessel (an aneurysm). Another might be ateriovenous malformation, which is when the connection between veins and arteries isn’t as it’s supposed to be.
High blood pressure or rare bleeding disorders can also trigger bleeding.
Stroke
The brain needs blood in order to function properly. A stroke happens when the bloody supply to the brain is cut off or interrupted for some reason. Without blood, the cells in the brain start to die, and this is when an injury can occur.
Subdural haematoma
This is caused when blood collects between the skull and the surface of the brain. The blood puts the brain under pressure, which can trigger a wide range of symptoms including vomiting (being sick), mental confusion and coma.
Traumatic brain injury (or TBI)
The result of an impact to the head. Examples might be a car accident or a fall.
Healthcare staff will make the distinction between this kind of injury and ‘atraumatic’ or non-traumatic brain injury, which is the result of something like meningitis or a brain tumour.
One way of thinking about it is to say traumatic brain injury is the result of things happening outside the body, such as a blow to the head. Non-traumatic brain injury is the result of things going on inside the body, such as a stroke or a lack of oxygen.
Tumour
In relation to acquired brain injury, a tumour is a growth inside the skull. These can be either malignant or benign. These terms are defined in our section on non-traumatic injury.
Ventilator
A piece of medical equipment that helps a child with their breathing.
Ventricles
These are small cavities within the brain that are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
