See beyond the disability

• About the booklet
• Queensland and disability
• Ethnicity, culture and disability
• Employment and disability
• Information and advice
  • Intellectual disability
  • Hearing impairments
  • Spinal injuries
  • Fluctuating conditions
  • Vision impairments
  • Complex communication needs
  • Psychiatric disability
  • Cerebral palsy
  • Acquired brain injury
  • Autism spectrum disorders
• Contacts

Acquired brain injury

Pamela lives in Toowoomba and has two children. Last year she completed her Diploma of Community Welfare Work.

Pamela lives in Toowoomba and has two children. Last year she completed her Diploma of Community Welfare Work.

Pamela's tips for including someone with an acquired brain injury in everyday life

"It can sometimes be frustrating when people have expectations of me that I cannot fulfil. Try to be understanding when people with an acquired brain injury say they can't remember how to do something. Respect for all people is vital, particularly for people with an acquired brain injury as it is a hidden disability and there are no outwardly obvious signs. Do not use offensive terms. See the person as a whole being, not a 'freak'. Knowledge is important. Do some research and get more information about the condition, as many people are experiencing it."

Managing an acquired brain injury - how you can help

• Make an effort to learn about the specific disability so that you can more effectively assist a person. If someone with a brain injury displays irritability in the workplace, this may be due to impaired anger management, a reduced tolerance for frustration, cognitive fatigue or difficulty
  coping with multiple streams of information at once.
• Adjust your behaviour to meet the specific needs of the person with the brain injury by, for example, reducing workplace noise for someone who has difficulty with concentration, or using written communication more for someone who has difficulty processing auditory information.
• Be careful not to make assumptions about a person's disability. A brain injury can result in very specific areas of disability. Be aware that one effect, for example a poor short-term memory, does not mean that the person's intelligence is affected.

"All my friends are learning from me which is a great result from such an horrific experience."

Key facts about acquired brain injury

• As many as 11 000 Queenslanders each year acquire a brain injury.
• Two-thirds of all brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents. Assault, sports related
  and work-related injuries are also common. Non-traumatic causes of brain injury include stroke, viral or bacterial infections, brain tumours, genetic disorders and abuse of alcohol and drugs.
• Young men between the ages of 15 and 25 and older people over the age of 65 are the most likely to experience a traumatic brain injury.