The learning curve of ABI – a parent's tips

We’ve been sharing tips from parent to parent and today’s tips come from Clare, whose son acquired a brain injury a year ago.

She describes this period as ‘a very steep learning curve’, we’re very grateful she’s sharing her advice with other parents: 

1. You need regular breaks from your child to rest and re-charge. Don’t feel guilty about it.
2. It is actually helpful (in my experience) to allow some time to grieve for the parts of your child that are altered or have disappeared. Accepting your feelings on the matter, ultimately, allows you to accept, love and cherish the new version of your child.
3. Take it one day at a time.
4. Accept that a lot of people cannot grasp ABI and how it affects your child and everyone in the family. That is ok. They don’t need to understand it, the important people will make every effort to grasp it.
5. Realise that siblings can resent the amount of time/appointments/specialists and specialist equipment that their sibling may need after an ABI. Try to make them feel special too.
6. You aren’t alone and we all have a lot to learn.
7. Accept all the help that you can get!

Thanks again to all the parents who have contributed to this week’s focus ‘You, me and brain injury’. You can find more information for parents here.