TBI Trauma & Grief

Stressful & Scary Events

100

Name a serious natural disaster

Flood, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, or fire

200

Name a serious accident or injury

Falls, car crash, dog bite, or sports injury

300

Name a stressful or scary event in the family.

Seeing someone threatened, hit, or hurt badly

400

Name a stressful or scary event that has happened to someone.

Someone close to me dying suddenly or violently.

500

What stressful or scary event bothers you the most?

Someone, who I love, died

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

100

What is TBI?

A brain injury that is caused by an outside force that can injure your head inside and out

200

What are TBIs called?

TBIs are sometimes called brain injuries or even head injuries.

300

Explain what can cause a TBI.

A forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body can cause it, but not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI

400

What happens to the brain with a TBI?

Bleeding, swelling, and tearing that injures nerve fibers. This damage can cause inflammation, swelling, and body chemical changes.

500

What are the two types of TBI?

1. Penetrating TBI (also known as open TBI) happens when an object pierces the skull (such as a bullet, shrapnel, or bone fragment) and enters the brain tissue which typically damages only part of the brain.
2. Non-penetrating TBI (also known as closed head injury or blunt TBI) is caused by an external force strong enough to move the brain within the skull. 

Symptoms

100

What are some symptoms of blunt force trauma that are the same no matter which part of your body the injury affects?

• Pain
• Bruising or redness
• Swelling
• Bleeding (when the force is enough to tear or split skin)

200

What are some abdominal trauma?

Nausea and vomiting or rebound pain (this happens when you press on your abdomen and the pain starts when you stop pressing)

300

What are some symptoms of chest trauma?

Trouble breathing, heart rhythm irregularities, or blue fingernails or lips (cyanosis)

400

What are some symptoms affecting emotions and our brain with head trauma?

• Loss of or change in consciousness for anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours
• Decreased level of consciousness (like being hard to wake up)
• Confusion or disorientation
• Problems remembering, concentrating, or making decisions
• Changes in sleep patterns (such as sleeping more, difficulty falling or staying asleep, and an inability to wake up)
• Frustration or irritability

500

What are some symptoms of head trauma?

Confusion, feeling dizzy or lightheaded, or coma

Thoughts, Feelings, or Problems Someone can have when one witness a scary event

100

What are some thoughts in your head that you can have after witnessing a scary/stressful event?

Upsetting thoughts or memories about what happened

200

What are some problems you might experience after witnessing a stressful/scary event?

Bad dreams reminding me of what happened

Pictures in my head of what happened and feels like it's happening right now.

Feel upset when reminded of the event

300

What are some feelings you might have about what happened?

Upset, guilt, hurt, angry, and sad along with many more.

400

What are some thoughts and feelings you might have about the stressful/scary event?

Trying not to think about what happened or have feelings about it.

500

What are some negative thoughts you might have about the event for yourself or others?

Blaming myself or someone else for what happened 

Stages of Grief

100

What is the denial stage of grief?

May seem unaffected, ask when the person is coming back, or take breaks from grief to play. 

200

What is the anger stage or grief?

Irritability, tantrums, defiance, fights, or blaming others. 

300

What is the bargaining stage of grief

Making silent promises (e.g., "If you let them live, I'll be good").

400

What is the depression stage of grief?

Withdrawal, crying, low mood, changes in sleep/eating, loss of interest. 

500

What is the acceptance stage of grief?

Acknowledging the reality and learning to live with the loss, not necessarily feeling "okay".