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Published on Thursday, 20 June 2013 08:27

Andrew Ross, the former Chief Executive of The Children’s Trust has been awarded an OBE for his services to children in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.  This is in recognition of his 20-year career and dedication to the development of The Children’s Trust including the establishment of the national rehab centre for children with acquired brain injury and the creation of its Brain Injury Hub for parents www.braininjuryhub.co.uk

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Published on Wednesday, 19 June 2013 09:23

Hilary Meredith Solicitors Ltd, a member of the Brain Injury Group, successfully took a case to the Court of Appeal which ruled in favour of royal marine Thomas Birch, from Heanor, Derbyshire.

Thomas was just 18 and a lance corporal when the land rover he was driving plunged off a cliff in Afghanistan, leaving him with severe skull, brain and internal injuries.

Mr Birch launched legal action against the MoD, claiming that a fault in the vehicle was to blame and he had been allowed to drive without a licence or military permit.  The High Court initially dismissed this, ruling that he “must take his responsibility for his own decision to drive.

However, following an appeal by Hilary Meredith, the judgement was reversed in favour of Mr Birch, with a final figure for compensation yet to be decided. Birch has already been awarded a lump sum of £318,000 through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme, but Birch’s barrister, Amanda Yip QC, said these amounts would “only be a fraction of his entitlement” following the favourable ruling.

Despite his considerable injuries, Mr Birch has since learnt to walk and talk again, and has qualified as a personal trainer. In 2009 he won brain injury charity Headway’s ‘achiever of the year’ award.

Read the source article here http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-22906283

Read more about the benefits of pursuing a claim with a Brain Injury Group solicitor here http://www.braininjurygroup.co.uk/support-if-there-is-a-brain-injury-claim.html

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Published on Monday, 17 June 2013 15:09

A new study was reported last week about the apparent connection between ‘heading’ footballs and an increased risk of brain injury. The results of the study were published in an on-line edition of the science journal Radiology, and widely reported in the media, including in the Telegraph, who ran the story with the headline ‘Headers can damage a footballer’s brain, study finds’.

NHS Choices has responded to this by pointing out that there is more to the study than meets the eye. They say that no causal link has yet been established between headers and brain damage, and that media reports have been overly alarmist on the subject.

The study, which was conducted in New York, involved carrying out MRI brain scans on 37 amateur football players, along with other neurological tests., besides asking them to complete a questionnaire estimating the number of times they had headed the ball in the previous 12 months. The research sought to establish whether there was a possible association between lifestyle factors – such as heading footballs – and health outcomes, such as brain changes. The research reported that more frequent headings showed changes similar to those seen in people who have suffered a traumatic brain injury, as well as poorer memory scores, prompting the media coverage and concern.

In spite of these study findings though, NHS Choices has sought to reassure the public by emphasising the following limitations of the study:-

• Methodology

Research participants were only given brain images and tests at one point in time, after playing football and heading the ball had already taken place, rather than at any earlier points in their lives. This means that any damage detected could have always appeared that way in brain imaging, or at least existed for a long time prior to the headers taking place. There is no direct causal link between headers and brain damage, as there could have been other factors at play that caused it.

• Small study size

Only 37 amateur footballers took part in the study, making this a very small sample size. Larger studies would need to be carried out before more general associations could be made. Testing with professional footballers, who have better heading techniques, may also reveal other differences.

• Heading was self-reported

Participants were asked to report on how often they had headed the ball in the previous 12 months. This relies on the accuracy of their memory and reporting, potentially making the results less reliable

• No differentiation on types of headers

The research did not distinguish between different types of headers. The speed, velocity and site of impact would all have a bearing if looking to establish a repetitive relationship.

• Outcomes for players

While the research observed changes in brain function linked to the activity, there is no information available on how/ whether this affected outcomes and what it means in real terms for players affected

NHS Choices states that to reliably asses the effects of heading footballs, regular brain imaging would need to take place, with the initial assessment being conducted years before players even begin to play. This would then need to be followed-up over a period of time, along with an objective assessment of the number of headers that players have made. However, at this stage such a study is likely to be unfeasible.

Read source article here http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/06June/Pages/No-proof-heading-footballs-causes-brain-damage.aspx

Reader article as it appeared in theTelegraph here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10112281/Headers-can-damage-a-footballers-brain-study-finds.html

Read more about the signs and symptoms of a head or brain injury here http://www.braininjurygroup.co.uk/symptoms-of-brain-injury.html

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Published on Monday, 17 June 2013 11:03

A Tasmanian woman appears to be one of only a few recorded cases of foreign accent syndrome after suffering a head injury in a car crash eight years ago.

Leanne Rowe was born and raised in Tasmania, an island off the south coast of Australia, and has always spoken with an Australia accent. However, after being in a serious car crash that left her with a broken back and jaw, she began to speak with what appeared to be a strong French accent as the jaw began to heal. Ms Rowe had learnt French at school, but had never been to France or had friends who were French.

While there is no definitive diagnosis, the family doctor believe she is suffering from foreign accent syndrome, a rare condition with only a few people documented worldwide and only one other of which has occurred in Australia.

The condition has been linked to brain damage, specifically the part of the brain that controls speech. Other reported cases of foreign accent syndrome have occurred following stroke, multiple sclerosis and migraines.

Read the source article here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10124305/PIC-AND-PUB-PLS-Head-injury-leaves-Australian-woman-with-a-French-accent-a.html

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Published on Thursday, 13 June 2013 07:34

From 9pm this evening until 9pm tomorrow the founding members of the charity Brain Injury is BIG will run a ‘Tweetathon’ to give a rare insight into a typical 24 hours as a carer of a brain injured family member.  Please follow @bigsupportgroup and ‘share the care’ by replying and retweeting.  Thank you!