Medical professionals conduct a series of tests to determine the severity of a TBI. One such test is the Glasgow Coma Scale or GCS. Monitoring mobility of the extremities and visual and verbal abilities, scoring is based on a numerical scale. Less than 8 would be considered severe while above 13 would be mild. Neuropsychologists and speech pathologists may be consulted for cognitive and speech evaluations respectively. Detailed images of the brain may be obtained to determine changes in the brain’s appearance and function.
Mild symptoms may include disorientation, confusion, headache, blurred vision and a black out or brief loss of consciousness. Sometimes a bruising or contusion accompanied by mild swelling may be present. This is most often referred to as a concussion once testing has discovered no abnormal findings.
Moderate symptoms may include more prolonged and severe cognitive impairments lasting hours, weeks or even permanently. Sudden nausea and severe headache may also appear. Vision impairment may include depth perception or double vision. There may be memory loss of events prior to, during or even after the injury which may be short term or permanent.
Severe symptoms occur when there are actually physical changes to the body of the brain caused by tearing of the tissues such as the nerves or blood vessels resulting in devastating and lasting changes to a person’s personality, thought process and basic functions. Seizures, fluids from the nose or ears and unequal pupil dilation may also be present indicating a possible skull fracture. Testing may reveal swelling and bleeding in the brain and may require surgical intervention to reduce swelling, repair damage and/or remove blood clots. In some cases, sudden severe brain trauma may be fatal.
Long term TBI effects for an adult may include increased risk of neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Likewise, children who experience a TBI may not show the effects until much later in life. The lasting ramifications of a child’s frontal lobe injuries may not be evidenced until many years later as the child matures and the need for communicative skills arises.