Acquired Brain Injury
What is a Brain Injury?
An acquired brain injury (ABI) occurs when damage to the brain affects a person’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and/or communication abilities. ABIs can be categorized as traumatic and non-traumatic.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) |
Non-Traumatic Brain Injury (NTBI) |
| caused by an external force | caused by internal factors |
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No two brain injuries are the same. Symptoms can range from mild to severe because the brain controls many essential functions, even a mild injury can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to communicate, work, learn, and complete daily activities.
Symptoms of Brain Injury
Brain injury symptoms vary due to the brain’s complexity, affecting nearly every aspect of function. Potential impacts include:
Communication Difficulties
- Trouble finding words
- Difficulty understanding conversations
- Slower processing of information
- Challenges expressing thoughts clearly
- Difficulty reading or writing
Cognitive Challenges
- Memory problems
- Reduced attention and concentration
- Difficulty planning and organizing
- Problems with problem-solving and decision-making
- Reduced mental stamina
Social Communication Challenges (Pragmatics)
- Difficulty following conversations in groups
- Challenges interpreting social cues
- Impulsive communication
- Reduced awareness of communication difficulties
- Reduced confidence in social situations
Swallowing Difficulties (Dysphagia)
- Drooling or food/liquid spilling from the mouth
- Slower, more hesitant, or effortful eating
- Coughing or choking after swallowing
- Feeling of food “getting stuck” in mouth or throat
- Regurgitation after eating
- Fatiguing quickly while eating
- Avoiding foods of different consistencies
- Frequent chest infections
Emotional and Behavioural Changes
- Frustration or irritability
- Anxiety or depression
- Emotional outbursts
- Impulsivity or acting without thinking
- Difficulty managing stress
80–100% of individuals with a brain injury experience cognitive-communication difficulties. Many of these challenges can be subtle and may not become apparent until weeks or months after the injury.
How Can Speech Clinicians Help?
Speech-Language Pathologists have specialized knowledge in the connection between cognitive and language skills. They can help retrain abilities and teach compensatory strategies to navigate challenges effectively. Areas they address include:
- Attention & Concentration – Improving focus and mental endurance.
- Comprehension – Enhancing the ability to follow directions, understand jokes or sarcasm, remember information, and follow movie plots.
- Reading Retention – Strengthening skills to understand and remember details from books and articles.
- Expressive Communication – Helping individuals articulate thoughts clearly and find the right words.
- Writing Skills – Supporting effective written communication.
- Social Communication – Improving the use of facial expressions, conversational turn-taking, and topic transitions.
- Reasoning & Problem-Solving – Developing skills to identify relevant information, compare options, predict outcomes, and generate solutions.
- Family Education and Support – Provide education, practical strategies, and guidance to help loved ones support the rehabilitation process
- Swallow Assessment and Treatment (Dysphagia)– Assess swallowing safety and provide individualized recommendations to support safe eating and drinking
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide personalized, evidence-based care to help you reach your goals and improve your quality of life by providing:
- Comprehensive assessments
- Individualized treatment plans
- Person-centered goals
- Evidence-based therapy
- In-person and virtual services
- Collaborative communication with healthcare providers
Our goal is to help you recover the cognitive-communication skills needed for the activities, relationships, and experiences that matter most to you.
We’re here to help! Contact us for more information or to schedule an assessment and treatment.
