Child brain injury

The brain is complex and every brain injury is unique. This is especially true when children are concerned. A human brain grows and develops for the first 20 years of life, and when a developing brain is injured it can take years for some symptoms to be completely apparent. This makes it virtually impossible to predict how a child will be affected by a head injury.

We can, however, call on years of experience supporting families who have been affected by a child’s brain injury. We can recommend the best medical expertise, provide a wealth of information on symptoms and treatments, and connect families with support that helps when times are tough.

Moore Blatch is the only law firm providing a legal support service in partnership with the Child Brain Injury Trust, across many areas in the South of England. The Child Brain Injury Trust offers invaluable support and guidance to children who have sustained a brain injury, and their families. Working with this charity helps support you with a service that’s second to none.

While the symptoms of mild brain injury can involve discomfort and minor memory loss, the symptoms of moderate to severe brain injury can be life long, or even life threatening.

Children who suffer brain injuries are at risk of long term physical and learning disabilities. They could even undergo complete and permanent personality changes. We have supported many families whose children demonstrated erratic or even aggressive behaviour following an accident. This can be distressing for parents, but help is at hand.

It’s important to remember that the sooner your child receives treatment, the better the outcome. Look out for the warning signs which your child might display:

• Speaking difficulty
• Lack of comprehension
• Confusion
• Behavioural changes
• Lack of concentration
• Fatigue
• Weakness in limbs
• Memory loss
• Learning difficulty
• Anxiety or depression

Brain injuries are so diverse and unpredictable that there is no single cure. Fortunately, there are many treatments and rehabilitation programmes which can help children regain some of the skills they lose after a traumatic or non-traumatic injury.

Rehabilitation will help them make improvements in life and gain as much independence as possible. We can provide detailed guidance on the best rehabilitation services available and also advise on realistic goals for your child.

There are a number of brain injury therapies available to children at different stages of their recovery:

• Inpatient rehabilitation – hospital treatment following an accident.
• Specialist treatment centres – providing various treatments for inpatients or day visitors.
• Community therapy – care workers who treat your child at home, school or a local centre.

We will ensure that funding is secured at an early stage to appoint a case manager, who will help manage your child’s needs throughout their childhood. It may also be appropriate to appoint a support worker to work with your child, particularly at school. Children with brain injuries can often have extra learning requirements, and their needs will be assessed by the Local Authority and detailed in what’s called a Statement of Educational Needs.

Together with the case manager and support worker, we’ll ensure your child’s needs are fully assessed, and that they have all possible support to maximise their development. The case manager and support worker work closely with you and your brain injured child, so it’s important you are involved in appointing these professionals.

Brain injuries in children affect entire families in every aspect of their life. They are often distressing in the early stages of rehabilitation and challenging throughout the rest of the child’s life. They place strain on relationships and can carry financial burden too.

Siblings can react to tragedies in different ways, depending on their age. Some have their own behavioural changes as they struggle to adapt to the situation. That’s why it’s so important for parents to remember to look after all of their children, and of course themselves.

In our experience, there will be times when parents, siblings and other care providers will struggle to come to terms with the reality of their situation. At other times, they might experience strong feelings of guilt or blame. These feelings are perfectly normal. We are here to assure you and your family that you are not alone.

Moore Blatch Solicitors provide the legal advice, practical support and empathy you need.

• We offer a bespoke, personal service
• Access to the highest quality rehabilitation services
• We work with the leading barristers and medical experts
• More than 30 years of serious brain injury claim experience
• An unbeatable track record with many multi-million pound settlements
• No win, no fee
• With Moore Blatch, you receive 100% of the compensation