Course Description:

This course is for rehabilitation therapists treating adults in an outpatient setting. The presenter is a speech-language pathologist, although the information covered may be useful for other disciplines as well. It is designed to identify the conditions under which the diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury is used, to demonstrate how the term is not an accurate identifier of the impact of this injury, and to familiarize clinicians with the unique characteristics of adults with a diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury/concussion. Areas addressed are the cognitive/communication deficits, behavioral/emotional changes and responses, and physical, social, and vocational issues that may arise, as well as the impact of such an injury upon the individuals family unit. An initial case study will introduce the multiple areas of change in the life of one individual with this diagnosis. At the end of the second and third chapters, the case study of another individual will demonstrate how the deficits and losses reviewed were functionally manifested in her day-to-day life. The course will end with an interview of an individual eight years post mild traumatic brain injury, documenting her recovery process and experiences.