Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a complex injury to the brain and occurs when an outside force traumatically injures the brain. It has a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities, affecting the day to day functioning of a patient. The impact of the injury on a person and his or her family can be devastating.
Rehabilitation aims to improve independent function at home and in society and to help adapt to disabilities or change living conditions to accommodate impairment. Rehabilitative treatment helps to restore lost functional abilities like limited ability to move, use the bathroom, talk, eat and think.
The basis for rehabilitation of the patient with brain injury is an interdisciplinary team. As for any patient with neurologic deficits, an interdisciplinary approach is key to limiting and overcoming disability. The interdisciplinary team approach helps in providing the most comprehensive care that leads to maximizing the patient’s functional recovery. A dedicated team of health professionals working with Brain injured should understand this and wok in close unison to provide these comprehensive services to the patient.
The various members of intedisciplinary team who work for catering to a head injury patient are physiatrist, physical therapist, occupational Therapist, and speech language pathologist and case manager.
The Physiatrist is the team leader in the rehabilitation program. The physiatrist is a physician specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation. The physiatrist will assess and prescribe the treatment and direct the team.
Physical therapists perform an important role in the rehabilitation of brain injured patients. They help with transfers to and from the bed when a patient cannot walk alone. They train a person to begin to walk and move more normally. They also work on restoring balance, posture, strength and improving quality of movement.
The Occupational Therapist assesses functions and potential complications related to the movement of upper extremities, daily living skills, cognition, vision and perception. The occupational therapist determines, with the patient, the best ways to perform daily living skills including showering, dressing and personal hygiene. The OT will identify equipment for eating, dressing and bathing.
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