Today we begin the first of several multipart series on Frequently Asked Questions about traumatic brain injury. Our aim is to help clarify issues related to TBI by inviting experts to contribute on question topics and share additional information they feel is important.

Our first topic is eligibility for special education under TBI.  Parents and educators often feel unsure of what is needed to establish eligibility for 504 or SPED services after a TBI, and grey areas do come up.  We asked Deborah Ettel, Ph.D. to respond to questions for this piece. Before joining the research field, Dr. Ettel worked for 12 years as a school psychologist in the Eugene 4J school district.  She has extensive experience providing assessment and consultation to children and families in the special education process.  Her response to some quintessential questions about TBI eligibility will be posted in four parts:

1. Getting started
2. School support teams
3. Becoming eligible under TBI
   
4. Eligibility categories
   

FAQ

 If I suspect a student has a TBI, how can this be confirmed or diagnosed?   

What should we do if we find out a student had a brain injury in the past, but it was overlooked by the parents and the student never received services? 

A high school student exhibits TBI characteristics, but the injury occurred over 10 years ago. The student’s family has moved and they don’t remember the doctor they saw as a child. How do we medically document this TBI?

Part 1:  Getting started

If you suspect that the student may have had a brain injury, or you observe behaviors typical for students with a brain injury, discuss your concerns with the student and the parent(s). There may be medical or school records available that document the injury or provide history on ways of supporting the student’s progress in school.  If there are no medical records available, talk with parents about a consultation with their current health care provider.

In-class support strategies for a suspected TBI:

It’s important not to get overwhelmed when starting the process of establishing TBI eligibility. First, determine if there are learning or behavioral issues that need to be addressed quickly. Some possible effects of a TBI are:

1. Increased fatigue,
2. Headaches,
3. Difficulty sustaining concentration,
4. Problems with short term memory,
5. Behavior changes, including impulsivity.

(For more examples of what to look for in the classroom, see:  http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/about-tbi/)

Next, talk with the student and parents about your concerns. Make time to meet together and develop a plan for classroom changes you could make immediately – just as you would if a student returned to school after an illness.  For example, you might:

1. Provide the student preferential seating,
2. Allow the student more time to complete assignments and tests,
3. Have another student serve as note-taker for the student, or,
4. Provide a quiet, less distracting room for testing.

(Find more ideas at: http://www.cbirt.org/tbi-education/instruction-strategies/)

The series continues tomorrow in part 2 of 4, School support teams.