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Neurology (Expert Forum)
rehabilitation from brain injury
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rehabilitation from brain injury
by Jorge-Isao, May 17, 1998 12:00AM
MY wife´s brother had an car crash accident. His brain was severely injuried. He stayed in coma for six months. After that, he could record only what happened before the accident. Slowly he recovered habilities like walking, talking, etc. But his behaviour, sometimes, is very strange. He acts violently with his sisters. He hasn´t recovered all abilities. He can´t remember basic informations. Please, send me more informations about the possibility of improvement through a rehabilitation program.
Thanks.
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Hello Jorge!
We are very sorry for the delay in answering your question. A brain injury severe enough to cause coma for six months will almost always result in some type of serious permanent brain malfunction. There is a program known as cognitive rehabilitation that can sometimes help in such cases, and there are some medications such as amantidine that can be used as mild stimulants for improved cognitive function. Other medications like valproic acid can be used to help stabilize mood, and yet other medications can be used to control violent outbursts if these fail. We do not have a cognitive rehabilitation program at the Cleveland Clinic. You may wish to try the Mayo Clinic or Harvard, but I am not certain that they have one either. I am going to give you the name of three organizations that may be able to refer you to specialists in this area. They are:
Brain Injury Association, Inc.
1776 Massachusetts Ave. NW- Suite 100
Washington, D.C. 20036
Toll-free phone number 1-800-444-6443 or
202-296-6443; FAX 202-296-8850
Brain Trauma Foundation
523 East 72nd Street
New York, NY 10021
Contact person: Peter Quinn
phone#: 212-772-0608/FAX 212-772-0357
Head Injury Hotline
P.O. Box 84151
Seattle, WA 98144
Contact person: Constance Miller
206-621-8558
FAX 206-623-4251
Web site: http://www/headinjury.com/brain
We hope you find the information helpful, and wish your wife's family and yours the best in coping with the difficult situation of a loved one suffering from such disabling cognitive problems.
