Brain Injury in Children

A child’s brain injury is felt by the whole family. It changes the way a family works and challenges even the strongest relationships.

Having a child with a brain injury causes overwhelming stress for parents. Financial difficulties. Changes in roles or jobs. Disrupted family time and social activity. Parents frequently report that having so many responsibilities creates little or no time for each other. All this can lead to a loss of closeness and intimacy.   The good news is, statistics show that parents of a child with a brain injury are no more likely than other couples to break up. In fact, many couples use creative ways to manage the stress and find ways to connect.

We often recommend families in this situation locate an experienced therapist.  

Brothers and sisters are affected when a sibling has a brain injury. Younger siblings may suddenly be asked to take on more responsibility, including providing care for their injured sibling. As siblings deal with their sense of loss, their emotions may be compounded by feelings of jealousy, anger, and rivalry for attention.  Keeping in mind that this injury impacts the entire family is often a first step in the healing process.