Siblings of children with acquired brain injury
This section looks at the ways in which acquired brain injury might affect other children in a family.
Published: 29/11/2019
Heads up, Tim Tron (Tim Tron) is a colourful, illustrated book about a robot who bangs his head while playing football and sustains a head injury.
We caught up with Kayleigh, aged six, and her mum, who have read the book many times. The family were given the book when they arrived at The Children's Trust, as Kayleigh’s older sister is there for a period of rehabilitation.
The book, produced by The Children’s Trust, follows Tim Tron’s journey from hospital, his return to school and struggles with fatigue and confusion. Some changes to his life help him along the way.
For the book review Kayleigh and her mum looked through Tim Tron again together, commenting on their favourite parts and explaining how it has helped them better understand brain injury.
Mum said about Tim Tron: “I didn’t realise initially what the book was about. It’s such a good book. It really explains things well. It makes it all relatable.”
What they liked about the book
Sibling Kayleigh said: “The book shows the same injury as my sister. She gets tired too. I liked the battery bit.”
Kayleigh really loved the images. She said: “The pictures helped me to read the story and understand. I like the front and back of the book as they look like a brain.”
The space theme, the funny tricks that Tim Tron plays on his sister and the idea of having rockets to zoom around in were all parts of the book that Kayleigh enjoyed.
“The mum has a wheel for legs and Tim Tron has a pair of legs. They are all different. We aren’t all the same,” Kayleigh commented.
Understanding brain injury
Talking about how brain injury was explained to them mum commented: “A doctor told us it was like the brain being a computer and it needs re-booting. One part of the brain is shut off. I like the way the book describes the brain injury, comparing the brain to a circuit board.”
Kayleigh said that the part of the book that shows Tim Tron having an MRI scan related to her sister. Looking at a scene in the book where robot patients sit in a waiting room, all with a variety of disabilities, Kayleigh exclaimed: “My sister has a stick too. I tell her to use her crutches!”
Kayleigh explained she took the book into school to show her teacher and they read it together.
“The book was a chance to explore her sister’s injury in a nicer way. It shows she will be okay too,” mum said.
The Children’s Trust and The Brain Injury Hub are very grateful to Kayleigh and her mum for reviewing Tim Tron and for their brilliant insights into the book.
Heads up, Tim Tron is produced by The Children’s Trust and can be ordered here for the cost of postage. The book can also be downloaded as an audiobook, narrated by Richard Hammond. There are other brain injury books available to order.
