Common questions

Frontal lobe – is at the front of the brain (yellow section below).

Parietal lobe – is on the top, back of the brain (blue section below).

Occipital lobe – is on the low, back of the brain (green section below).

Temporal lobe – is on the sides of the brain (maroon section below).

Cerebellum – is under the brain on the back side (brown section blow).

Brain stem – is underneath the brain and connects the brain to the spinal cord (orange section below).

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Different tests done in the hospital will help to know how big the brain injury may be.

The more serious the injury, the longer your special person will likely stay in hospital.

How do the different parts of our brain work together?

All lobes work together for you to do the things you do every day.

Here’s an example of getting ready for school:

	Frontal	Temporal	Parietal	Occipital
Remembering what time school starts
Using watch to check the time
Remembering where your classroom is and how to get there
Walking to your desk and sitting down
Recognising your friends and teacher
Listen for your name and responding

Brain injuries are often lifelong, meaning your special person may have a few (or many) changes or disabilities that they live with for the rest of their lives. You will likely see most of their recovery happening in the first 1-2 years, but recovery is possible for years and years after the injury

Your brain controls everything your body does from the way it moves your arms and legs, to how you think and what you feel.

Your brain needs oxygen which comes from your blood and energy which comes from the food you eat.

All brains work similarly, but the little differences between brains are what makes everyone unique and special.

What’s inside your brain?

Neurons

We have billions of tiny cells inside our body called neurons. Imagine your brain is like a big city, full of roads and highways. Neurons are like tiny cars that travel along these roads to carry messages from one part of the city to another.

Neurons look like tiny trees and branches that connect to each other. They have trunks (the main part), dendrites (branches that receive messages) and an axon (long branches that send messages).

When we learn something new, neurons make special connections called synapses. They’re like making new friends in your city!

You can keep neurons healthy by eating everyday food, exercising to have healthy bodies, reading, solving puzzles, talking and learning new things!

Lobes

A city is made up of many buildings. A brain has many part too. The main parts of brains are called lobes, each doing different things to help your body to work.

Stroke

A stroke is when there is not enough blood in the brain. It could be because:

	The heart may not be able to pump blood to the brain very well so the blood forms sticky clumps that causes a blockage. Doctor’s call these clumps ‘clots’
	Sticky clumps or fat may build up inside the tubes and stop the blood from flowing
	One of the tubes going to the brain tears a little bit and some blood leaks out

• Some of the tubes going to the brain are a bit tangled up so blood gets stuck
• Some of the tubes going to the brain are a bit small and thin so blood gets stuck

Car accident

In a car accident, people’s head usually gets hit or moves very fast and suddenly stops. When this happens, the brain inside the skull can get hurt. Even though the brain is protected by the skull, it’s soft and can bump against the inside of the skull during a crash. This can cause bruising, swelling, or tiny tears in the brain.

Brain tumour

A brain tumour is a lump of cells that grows in the brain and shouldn’t be there. It happens when some cells start to grow too much or in the wrong way. Some brain tumors grow very slowly and might not cause many problems, while others can grow faster and press on parts of the brain, making it harder to think, move, or feel normal. Doctors use special tests and treatments to help people with brain tumors feel better and keep the brain working well.

The main changes other young people noticed are:

Changes to your special person may include:

• The way their body works (they may need to use equipment, or have trouble moving different parts like their arms or legs)
• Roles within the family (they may not be able to work and earn money)
• Relationships (they may not be able to go out with friends)
• How they see themselves (they may not like having new scars,)
• Ability to do tasks (they may need to use a recipe when cooking, instead of remembering all the steps from memory)

Changes to your family may include:

• Adults being away from home more (you may get looked after by a neighbour or other family member)
• Less money which may mean less take away food, less holidays or less activities (like going to the movies)

Changes to you may include:

• Different people looking after you (this may happen in your home, or you might need to move into another person’s home)
• Less attention from your parents (because they are at hospital more often)
• Doing different chores at home (you may help with housework like laundry or cleaning)
• Routines may change (like where you do your homework or what time you go to bed)

If you’d like more information on any of the above, check out the changes section.

Different tests done in the hospital will help to know how big the brain injury may be.

The more serious the injury, the longer your special person will likely stay in hospital.

Your special person will get the help of lots of different staff members while they are in hospital.

Each staff member is an expert in the area that your special person needs help.

You are encouraged to visit your special person and join in as you feel comfortable.

To help you understand what each staff member does, click below to find out what they do to help your special person.

Some young people feel scared, lonely and sad, others feel closer to their family. There are many stories from young people who have been where you are on Brain Connect. Find them here (Impact on you) or here (Share your story).

Are they more angry or do things they didn’t do before?

You could:

• Tell them you are trying to help
• Say something nice to them

Do they look like they are not listening or get distracted easily?

You could:

• Use short and simple sentences like “it’s lunchtime, let’s make something to eat”
• Keep the things you are doing short

Do they need more sleep or get tired quickly?

You could:

• Keep activities short
• Suggest taking a break
• Do harder activities in the morning when they are at their best

Is it harder for them to remember what they have done or said?

You could:

• Use a book or diary to write things down
• Have a special place where items (like keys, pens, wallet) are kept
• Say information slowly and repeat it, if needed

It is important for you to get information to understand what has happened so ask questions to your family or staff.

Remember, your family are learning too so they may not know all the answers.

You can bring in photographs, cards or drawings to put up in hospital.

Ask if you can visit in person, or call, FaceTime or write letters.

If you would like to be involved in doing things for your special person (for example, helping them to eat), let an adult know to see if this can be organised.

Every day, try to do something that you like to do.

School is very important as you spend a lot of time there. Young people often feel a sense of belonging by going there, as it feels normal and gives you some routine and structure.

Talking to your school is your family’s decision. By letting your school know what has happened, it can increase the number of people helping and looking out for you. For example, if you need a break during class, or feel sad, your teacher will likely understand and can find ways to help you.

The main changes other young people noticed are:

Changes to your special person may include:

• The way their body works (they may need to use equipment, or have trouble moving different parts like their arms or legs)
• Roles within the family (they may not be able to work and earn money)
• Relationships (they may not be able to go out with friends)
• How they see themselves (they may not like having new scars,)
• Ability to do tasks (they may need to use a recipe when cooking, instead of remembering all the steps from memory)

Changes to your family may include:

• Adults being away from home more (you may get looked after by a neighbour or other family member)
• Less money which may mean less take away food, less holidays or less activities (like going to the movies)

Changes to you may include:

• Different people looking after you (this may happen in your home, or you might need to move into another person’s home)
• Less attention from your parents (because they are at hospital more often)
• Doing different chores at home (you may help with housework like laundry or cleaning)
• Routines may change (like where you do your homework or what time you go to bed)

If you’d like more information on any of the above, check out the changes section.

If you saw your special person get hurt or were nearby when it happened, you will likely feel lots of strong emotions like sadness, feeling frightened and maybe even guilty that you could not stop it from happening. When you have strong emotions like this, you don’t have to be brave or tough. What’s important is to talk about what happened and how you feel when you are ready! Young people have found comfort in spending time with others, so don’t take yourself away from friends and family. You can use the ‘share your story‘ exercise or the ‘feelings‘ page to help you talk things through.

Other things that might help are:

• It’s ok to be vulnerable so don’t act like you are fine if you’re not. If an adult or trusted person in your life offers you a hug, this can help you feel secure so say ‘yes’
• Doing small tasks around the house and having some responsibilities can help you feel helpful and give you some purpose
• If you are not comfortable sitting down and talking, try to start a conversation with a trusted adult when you’re doing an activity (like driving to school) so it doesn’t feel too intense
• If you are not comfortable talking with your family, think of other people you trust like a peer/friend, teacher or coach
• Take a walk, do some relaxation exercises or mindfulness

Usually, emotions aren’t all you’ll experience. You may have other changes in your life happen like trouble sleeping, finding it hard to concentrate, and maybe a loss of interest in the activities you normally enjoyed. Young people have also said they had other things happen in their body like a sore tummy, or headaches. All of these reactions are normal and will lessen in time. If they last for more than 4 weeks, your family may have to reach out to a health care professional for help.

If an adult is reading this with you, they can find lots of information on how to help you on their own ‘supporting children‘s page.

Many people who have a brain injury say they feel as though they have become a different person since their injury. People can feel upset, angry or confused. Some people don’t appear to worry about their brain injury. This could be because they don’t fully understand what has happened to them, or it could mean that they have found a way to cope with it.

Straight after a brain injury, your special person will get help in a hospital. Once more is known about the brain injury, a plan will be made, which may include time in another hospital called ‘rehabilitation’. Rehabilitation helps people to re-learn skills your special person may have lost or would like to get better. Most people can live back at home, but some people need extra help and go to live in a new house so carers can help look after them.

You can talk to anyone you trust. This may be people in your family like your parents, brother/sister, grandparents, or friends, teachers or other important people in your life. There are also services you can call, text or look at on the internet who can support you. If you are not sure, click here.