Pediatric brain injuries are strikingly common in the U.S. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 60,000 kids require hospitalization for traumatic brain injuries every single year. Many others sustain TBIs but never receive professional medical care, unfortunately.
A pediatric TBI can cause a child to experience a variety of long-term problems, including learning difficulties, mood changes, and visual or auditory impairments. If your child is returning to school after suffering a TBI, he or she may need access to special education.
What is special education?
Even under ideal circumstances, many children struggle to learn in conventional classrooms. If your child has a TBI, though, picking up information in such a setting could be downright impossible. Special education includes a spectrum of educational services children can utilize in many different settings.
Often, individuals with specific training and experience work as special education teachers. This means teachers can assess the needs of students in real-time, allowing them to make changes to educating kids who have disability-related educational needs.
How can you ensure your child gets a good education?
You still may be learning to cope with your child’s TBI, so you may feel busier than ever. Still, special education for your child may not land in your lap.
That is, you may have to be an advocate for your son’s or daughter’s educational interests. If your child’s school is unable or unwilling to provide special education, you may have to prepare for a bit of a fight.
Ultimately, understanding your legal options is one of the first steps you must take to ensure your child gets a good education after suffering a TBI.
