Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) & Cognitive-Communication Disorder

An acquired brain injury means that an injury to the brain has occurred some time after the person was born. The term "head injury" may be used to refer to traumatic brain injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents, bicycle and pedestrian injuries, falls, and assaults. An individual may experience a variety of difficulties following an acquired brain injury. These difficulties may be subtle or significant and may be evident immediately after the accident or at a later time. Problem areas may include:

• memory
• planning
• attention
• organization
• goal setting
• judgment
• reasoning
• orientation
• problem solving
• eating/swallowing

• voice
• writing
• speech
• social skills
• self-evaluating
• reading
• learning
• word finding
• pronunciation
• understanding

• speaking
• awareness
• self-initiating
• self-inhibiting
• self-monitoring
• speed of information processing
• accuracy of information processing

Cognitive-communication difficulties refer to difficulties with thinking that can interfere with an individual's ability to communicate effectively through speaking, listening, reading, and/or writing. These difficulties may impact on the individual's ability to or performance in return to work, school, family / social interactions, and/or return to community activities.