As Virginia’s lead center for the Sarah Jane Brain Project, Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center at the University of Virginia Children’s Hospital will host a town hall meeting on traumatic brain injuries on Saturday, April 2. This free event is open to parents, educators and healthcare providers and will focus on the particular challenges when children return to school after a traumatic brain injury.
Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions are the leading cause of death and disability for America’s youth. Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control estimate that 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury annually. Concussions are particularly prevalent among children and the effects of concussions or other traumatic brain injuries can be mild to severe with significant impact on a child’s continued development.
Dr. Peter Patrick, neuropsychologist at KCRC, will talk about the long-term impact of a traumatic brain injury and discuss the need for professional and family collaboration when preparing a child to return to school. Together with Dr. Patrick, participants will discuss recommendations for needed resources, problem areas and solutions.
This event is a part of The Sarah Jane Brain Project’s National Pediatric Brain Injury Prevention and Awareness Tour, a nationwide public awareness campaign dealing with brain injury. The tour, making stops in more than 40 U.S. states, aims to bring awareness about traumatic brain injuries, including youth sports concussions to high schools across the country as well as introduce the National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan (PABI Plan) through town hall meetings at local universities and hospitals.
Saturday’s event will take place from 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Kluge Children’s Rehabilitation Center located at 2270 Ivy Road, Charlottesville. To register for the event, please call 434.243.4862.
Media opportunities at the event: (For media opportunities, please arrive promptly at 9:30 a.m.)
Interview a patient’s family about their experience caring for a child with an acquired brain injury Interview Peter Patrick, neuropsychologist at KCRC, about the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries Interview Erika Langhart, Director of Public Relations for the Sarah Jane Brain Foundation, about the importance of a national PABI plan
