NH+Presentations+Notes

Vegetative State
 * looks like they are asleep
 * they can't wake up, talk or respond
 * the eyes may open
 * usually follows coma
 * longer than a coma
 * more than 1 month- Persistant Vegetative State (PVS)
 * more than 1 year- Permanent
 * damage to cerebral hemisphere
 * cognitive function gone- talking
 * can't control bladder or swallow
 * can still breathe, heart beat, and sleep
 * causes
 * hitting head really hard
 * not enough oxygen to the brain
 * stroke
 * no treatment
 * has to be watched all the time
 * feeding tube
 * physical therapy (move joints around to keep them from getting too stiff)
 * bathing
 * prevent illness (immune system down)
 * reposition to avoid sores
 * external stimuli
 * sleep wake cycles
 * have periods of awareness

Brain Dead
 * irreversable end of brain activity
 * can still live on machines
 * often confused with vegetative state
 * criteria
 * no response to pain, nerve reflexes
 * used to be considered dead when you could no longer breathe but now doctors can keep you alive

Coma
 * person is unconscience
 * cannot respond
 * has no sleep-wake cycle
 * no self-awareness
 * unable to make voluntary movements
 * usually last 4 weeks
 * unable to breathe/eat on own
 * unable to sense pain
 * head injury, stroke,
 * prevention
 * seatbelt, helmet, prevent falling
 * still alive- brain is functioning at the lowest level of activity
 * caused when brain is trying to heal itself
 * no way to predict when the person will come out
 * no treatment that will bring people out
 * talk to patient after they wake up
 * most are confused some are perfectly fine

SMASHED statistics what happens? do you have a brain injury?
 * 56% of teen drivers use cell phones while driving
 * 6-9% speed to keep up with traffic
 * Nearly half said they believed that most teen ccrashes are because of drunk driving
 * leading cause of death for 15-20 yr olds
 * 2/3 deaths are passengers driven by other teens
 * most accidents are caused by
 * driver error
 * speeding
 * other people are in the car
 * alcohol
 * night driving
 * low seatbelt use
 * brain injuries in teens
 * peer pressure-> drinking, drugs, impaired driving (ages 15-20 mostly)
 * inexperienced driving
 * physical
 * cognitive
 * behavioral
 * tired or listless
 * changes in eating habits, sleeping, behavior
 * many symptoms
 * head aches
 * hard time concentrating/ memory loss
 * slow reading, thinking, speaking, acting
 * Long term effects
 * mental retardation
 * reduction in physical ability

Safety tips
 * SEAT BELTS!
 * know the severity of driving under the influence of anything
 * limited cell phone use (emergency situations)
 * limit number of passengers in car
 * train for bad weather
 * rain, snow, hail, wind, ice
 * slower is better
 * avoid large volumes of traffic
 * limit night driving

Iraq
 * 64% of soldiers have experienced a brain injury while in the war
 * military is responsible for growing number
 * the only part that isnt fully covered in full uniform is the head
 * explosions cause shards of metal to shoot everywhere (DREW)
 * effects on brain after iraq
 * more brain injuries than any other war in us history
 * Military is trying to adapt
 * safer helmet would cut down on vision
 * have the best available equipment
 * most soldiers with a brain injury are diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) from war
 * everybody has a different recovery time- some dont
 * 2003-2007
 * 437 cases of TBI
 * half of these have permanent brain damage
 * other half have some sort of recovery
 * symptoms
 * headaches
 * memory loss
 * sensitivity to light and noise
 * black out
 * confusion
 * blurred vision
 * change in sleep patterns
 * vomiting
 * coma
 * vegetative state
 * have to reteach soldiers simple things (walk, talk, dress themselves, feed themselves)
 * some are left to do this themselves
 * causes physical and emotional pain
 * suicide attempts
 * Damaging Equipment
 * IED - improvised explosive devices (roadside bombs)
 * causes massive pressure- brains get rattled and swells
 * whenn pressure goes away- second "blast" - normal atmosphere going back
 * 60% of 25,000 caused by IED
 * 3,000 have TBI
 * 30% have been exposed to IED's and have TBI but aren't diagnosed and are still fighting
 * Kevlar helmets-
 * not designed to absorb impact or protect from a blast form a bomb just for small arms
 * MICH helmet
 * help!
 * blast absorbing pads- absorbs shock in combat vehicles
 * seats and seat belts are more absorbent and restraining
 * pad inserts being made for Kevlar helmets
 * pad inserts being made for Kevlar helmets