Effects of ABI on stages of development
Understand the impacts on learning and wellbeing.
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Age at time of injury can influence impact
Age at time of injury can influence impact
Provide more effective support by knowing what to look for and what to expect.
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Injuries at 0–3 years
Injuries at 0–3 years
Overview of indicators.
Between years 0–3 children are usually:
- acquiring language
- refining sensory and motor systems
- regulating sleep-wake patterns
- beginning to understand cause and effect
- establishing connections with caregivers.
Possible disruptions following brain injury include:
- difficulty explaining or communicating needs
- not connecting cause and effect
- high reliance on support and structure
- disturbed sleep
- easily overwhelmed
- behaviour hard to predict
- see-sawing emotions from content to angry
- low responsiveness to others.
Injuries at 3–6 years
Injuries at 3–6 years
Overview of indicators.
Between years 3–6 children are usually:
- growing understanding of cause and effect
- developing an ability to think before acting
- focusing on one aspect of a situation at a time
- emotionally focussed on control and mastery
- concrete and rigid thinkers.
Possible disruptions following brain injury include:
- see-sawing emotions from content to angry
- difficulty making decisions, judging situations, initiating play
- immediate expression of feelings
- high anxiety when separating from caregivers
- difficulty grasping concepts such as: same/different; quantity (some/all); size (big/little); shapes; time concepts (yesterday/next week) and cause and effect
- dependence on structure and organisation provided by adults.
Injuries at 6–12 years
Injuries at 6–12 years
Overview of indicators.
Between years 6–12 children usually:
- develop a robust understanding of cause and effect
- are ready to learn academic skills
- recognise that effort is important
- recognise intention of acts as important.
Possible disruptions following brain injury can include:
- disruption in reading, spelling, maths skills
- lack of success despite hard work
- avoidance
- random behaviour during unstructured times
- depression, social isolation, or withdrawal from peers
- sleep disturbance
- tiredness.
Injuries at 12–16 years
Injuries at 12–16 years
Overview of indicators.
Between years 12–16 young people usually:
- consider three or more dimensions simultaneously
- use abstract reasoning
- show anxiety related to social and emotional development
- have increasing autonomy
- begin identity development
- take responsibility: able to care for self, babysit, perform jobs for pay.
Possible disruptions following brain injury may include:
- unevenness in learning profile
- difficulty learning new concepts
- slower rate of mental processing
- difficulty organising complex tasks over time
- judgment and reasoning difficulties
- increased “frustration” response
- depression
- fatigue.
Injuries at 16–19 years
Injuries at 16–19 years
Overview of indicators.
Developmental characteristics of 16–19-year-olds:
- complex reasoning and judgement
- ability to plan and execute complex projects over time
- solid sense of own identity
- social sophistication
- capacity for compassion.
Possible disruptions following brain injury:
- new and unexpected gaps in learning (for example, memory for numbers)
- reduced speed of mental processing
- inability to organise complex tasks
- conflict between specific challenges and career goals
- interference in developmental drive toward independence/separation
- social awkwardness
- tiredness
- defensiveness regarding emotional/cognitive problems
- depression
- negative body and/or social image.
Next steps
More suggestions for implementing the strategy “Understand impacts on learning and wellbeing”:
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Current page Effects of ABI on stages of development
Return to the guide “Supporting learners with acquired brain injury”
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How to use this site
Guide to Index of the guide: Acquired brain injury and learning
Understand:
- Understand the basics about ABI
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Understand impacts on learning and wellbeingShow suggestions for Understand impacts on learning and wellbeing
- Effects of ABI on stages of development
- Emotions, social skills, behaviour, and wairua
- Changes to cognition and thinking processes
- Changes to physical wellbeing
Strategies for action:
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Review leadership and governance responsibilitiesShow suggestions for Review leadership and governance responsibilities
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Concussion: Support a return to learning and activityShow suggestions for Concussion: Support a return to learning and activity
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Support a return to learning and activityShow suggestions for Traumatic brain injury (TBI): Support a return to learning and activity
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Non-traumatic brain injury: Support a return to learning and activityShow suggestions for Non-traumatic brain injury: Support a return to learning and activity
