Brain Injury and Allocation of Limited Resources - Neuropsychological Weakness

Did a genetic factor play a role in the deficit, or did the brain injury occur before or during birth, when physicians could have been more diligent in identifying risk factors and incidents such as oxygen deprivation?

Identifying the weaknesses, a child has helps to direct resources as well. A thorough assessment should show whether they need assistance with managing, supplementing, or rehabilitating motor coordination, attention span, memory, or emotional function. Oftentimes the focus is behavioral, but a birth brain injury can lead to a variety of language, social, and eventually academic challenges, any of which requires the proper resources to be available to improve the child’s quality of life, well-being, and possibly their overall outcome.

Evaluation and Use of Limited Resources

A number of tests are used to gauge a child’s ability in all of these areas, and various therapeutic interventions can be used based on the scores of these assessments. For each profile, strengths and weaknesses can be measured. Learning ability may not be evident in infancy, but various tests can measure brain activity, and even blood tests can be performed to supplement data obtained from these.

The idea is to understand the individual’s potential to experience neuropsychological deficits or excel in a particular area. If outcomes can be predicted, and the child’s current state is better understood, then the proper resources can be utilized at home and at school, as well as to clinics and practitioners in the community. One can also find caretakers for children with learning disabilities or autism, and for a developing toddler with a brain injury, but who needs expert care to provide the rehabilitation and stimulation needed to maximize the potential of any therapies.

The Ohio Department of Education recognizes impairments to cognition, language, memory, and attention in association with brain injuries. It also includes reasoning, abstract thinking, problem-solving, judgment, and psychosocial behavior in the group. Sensory, perceptual, and motor abilities in addition to information processing and speech are too. The broad scope defined by the department helps to distribute resources to all those who need them, especially regarding brain injuries associated with birth trauma, and the need for special education programs.