PABI Plan - The Sarah Jane Brain Project

CHAPTER 1: Analysis of Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Care Today
Pediatric Acquired/Traumatic Brain Injury (PA/TBI) is a national disaster. Because a brain
injury is typically “invisible,” it remains unrecognized or under-recognized, thereby markedly
increasing the burden of care in all aspects of society. The effects of a PA/TBI are complex and
require the integration of medical, educational, judicial and social service systems. For the
purposes of this grant proposal and overall initiative, it is recognized that Traumatic Brain Injury
(TBI) is a subset of Acquired Brain Injury (ABI). As such, to ensure that there is no gap in the
discussion, issues, and services between these areas of Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury (PABI),
the terms are being combined and will be herewith referred to as Pediatric Acquired/Traumatic
Brain Injury (PA/TBI).
PA/TBIs are truly an epidemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports
that for children aged 14 and under there are 2,685 deaths, 37,000 hospitalizations, and 435,000
emergency room visits attributable to TBI annually (see Figure 2). As the incidence of PA/TBI
is at its maximum for those aged 16 to 24 years, and due to the fact that not all individuals with
TBI present to an acute care hospital, these staggering numbers can only be underestimates of the
true rates of PA/TBI.
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