Possible TBI or just a crazy mom?

[ERNurse03]

My husband and I have noticed some concerning behavior from our 4 yr old daughter.  Sometimes when you ask her something or say something to her she just doesn't seem to understand.  This evening just for one example, she had found a pen that had been lost.  I asked her "Where did you find it?"  She said "It's right here."  I said "I know but where was it?"  She replied "It's purple."  I said "I know it's purple, but where did you find it?" again she said "It's right here."  When I asked her to show me where she'd found it she just went off to do something else.  
I know this probably sounds crazy, but things like this happen all the time.  We ask her something and she acts like she doesn't understand what we are asking her and I just don't think that is normal for 4 yrs old.  
I have also noticed that when I come home from work she can't tell me what she did all day.  When she goes to church with my mom and makes a craft or something she can't tell me what she did at church.  When I show her the craft and ask her if she made it she just gives me a blank look and doesn't answer.  
What really worries me is that about 8 months ago she was running in the driveway and the dog ran into her and wiped her feet out from under her and she hit her head on the concrete driveway and ended up with a skull fracture.  At the time they told me that there was no evidence of anything wrong with her brain.  I am wondering if this could be some kind of Traumatic brain injury which is causing her problems.  I've been thinking about getting her assessed by a neuropsychologist, but I'm not sure if her behavior is normal or abnormal for her age.  I have two other kids and they were able to comprehend questions like that at 4 yrs old.  


This discussion is related to 5 year old having learing and processing problems.

[LRM1021]

I think you should get her evaluated -- if for no other reason because you are a Mom and this is sticking in your brain, and my guess is it will stick there until you do :) That's what Moms do.

To be direct, though, this does not sound quite normal-- it sounds like she is not understanding what is being said to her completely and is sometimes "guessing" at what was said to give you answers, because she knows there was a question and she should respond. This can be indicative of a lot of things-- auditory processing issues, hearing problems, receptive language issues, working memory issues-- or just a phase-- or really could be so many things -- maybe TBI related, maybe not. It's worth checking out, in my opinion.

[indigo39]

I agree with LRM, and add that you may want to have her doctor do a simple hearing test first to make sure she can actually hear you. If that is the case it will save a lot of extensive tests for brain trauma.  

[treazzure007]

Sometimes children that have not had much communication directed towards them or coming from them will display a lack of understanding with language.  I was a daycare teacher and noticed that some children didn't even have a simple understanding of prepositions(ex. under the chair, outside the door, in the sink) therefore they didnt grasp the meaning when I would ask them to do things or ask where were things.  And of course they couldnt communicate back using any type of prepositions as well.  So it could just be slower language development.