Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

If you or a loved one has experienced a traumatic brain injury (TBI), you might have questions about:

• speech problems

• language challenges

• difficulty thinking

• trouble swallowing

What Is Traumatic Brain Injury?

A TBI happens when your brain gets damaged. This can happen to anyone—children or adults. Brain injuries often happen because of

• a blow to the head
• an object that goes into the brain

Concussion is a less severe kind of TBI called a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI).

A blow to the head can also create a bleed in the brain that might not be obvious at first, but may become worse over time. Regardless of how hard any blow is to the brain, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible after any head injury.

Some effects from a TBI can happen right away, but other symptoms may develop later. If you have a TBI you may have problems with speech, language, thinking, or swallowing. These difficulties can affect your school, work, and/or everyday activities. Your SLP can support you and treat these problems.

What Are Causes of TBI?

Some common causes of TBI include:

• falls
• car accidents
• being hit by or running into an object
• violent assaults
• sports-related injuries
• military combat injuries

A TBI can harm your memory, judgment, and safety. People with these impairments can be at greater risk of having another TBI.

What Are Signs and Symptoms of TBI?

TBI can cause many problems, because your brain controls everything that you do. The problems you have depend on how bad the injury is and where it is in your brain. You may have one or more problems in several categories.

Physical problems

You may experience physical problems from a TBI, including:

• fainting
• seizures
• headaches
• dizziness and vomiting
• balance problems
• muscle weakness

Sensory Problems

You could have sensory issues from a TBI, including:

• sensitivity to lights, sound, and touch
• hearing loss or ringing in the ears
• changes in vision
• double vision

Behavior Changes

You may have behavior changes due to TBI, including:

• being more emotional
• feeling anxious or angry
• feeling depressed
• having mood swings

Problems With Thinking Skills

You could experience problems with thinking because of TBI, including difficulty:

• paying attention
• remembering things
• learning new information
• planning
• setting goals
• solving problems

Speech and Language Problems

You may notice problems with speech and language, including difficulty:

• getting others to understand you because your speech muscles are weak (dysarthria)
• controlling your speech muscles (apraxia of speech in adults and childhood apraxia of speech)
• understanding language and communicating (aphasia)

Social Communication Issues

You could have problems when you communicate with others, including:

• difficulty taking turns in conversation
• difficulty not interrupting
• difficulty understanding nonverbal cues, like when someone shrugs their shoulders

Swallowing Problems

You may have issues with swallowing (called dysphagia) because of a TBI, including:

• trouble when you chew
• coughing when you eat
• choking when you eat

Learn more about swallowing disorders in adults and feeding and swallowing disorders in children.

What Sort of Testing is Used for TBI?

A team of professionals, including your SLP, will do tests to figure out what kind of help you need. If you have hearing or balance problems, an audiologist may also do tests.

Your SLP will look to see if there are any changes in your communication or thinking skills. They can also work with you to make sure you’re eating and swallowing safely.

How Do SLPs and Audiologists Treat TBI?

Depending on what you need, your SLP may help you:

• communicate and understand others in speech and when reading and/or writing
• improve attention to daily tasks and activities
• learn what memory strategies work best for you, like using calendars, alarms, and to-do lists
• improve problem-solving and planning skills
• work on social skills, including reading social cues and taking turns in conversation
• learn safer ways to swallow

If you have a lot of difficulty communicating, your SLP may suggest that you use other ways to communicate, such as picture boards or computers that speak for you. These other methods are called augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). If you use AAC, your treatment will focus on helping you communicate better using these tools.

Your SLP will work with other professionals, like rehabilitation counselors, to help you get back to school or work.

To find an SLP or audiologist near you, visit ProFind.

Resources

Inclusion on this list does not imply endorsement.

• Brainline
• Brain Injury Association of America
• Brain Injury Resource Center
• Concussion Awareness Now
• Facts about TBI