Brain Injury Lawyer - New York

New Job Resource For Brain Injury Professionals

The North American Brain Injury Association (NABIS) has launched a new employment resource for brain injury professionals, allowing them to post and review resumes and job information on line.

For Employers: Target a focused audience of qualified brain injury professionals, post your jobs, search resumes and promote your company on-line.

For Job Seekers: Post your resume - confidentially if you choose. Search job listings and receive automatic email notification whenever a job matches your specific criteria.

You can visit the NABIS brain injury professional career resource center by clicking here.

The type of fluid given to victims of severe brain damage influences survival

Persons with severe traumatic brain injury are frequently administered fluids to maintain their blood pressures.  An adequate blood pressure translates into a sufficient amount of blood reaching the brain in order to provide needed oxygenation of brain tissue.  If blood pressures are not maintained at proper levels then an individual's brain will not receive sufficient oxygenated blood.  Oxygen is the "food" for the brain and it's absence will cause brain cells to rapidly die.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, August 30th issue suggests that persons who are given saline solution rather than albumin, a protein solution manufactured from the blood, have double the the survival rate at 24 months after injury.

"We determined that the 2-year mortality rate was significantly high in those patients who received albumin-based fluids compared to those who received saline, particularly those patients with severe brain injuries who presented with traumatic coma," said the study's lead author, Dr. John Myburgh, director of the division of critical care and trauma at the George Institute for International Health, in Sydney, Australia.

"Given the significant difference in mortality that we observed, we recommend that albumin-based fluids be avoided for the acute fluid resuscitation of patients with traumatic brain injury," added Myburgh, who's also a professor of critical care at the University of New South Wales.

After two years, the researchers behind the new study found that people with traumatic brain injuries who received albumin had a 63 percent higher risk of dying than those given saline. For those with severe brain injuries, the albumin group had an 88 percent increased risk of death compared to the saline group.

Still needed are answers to the critical question of why saline administration produced a better outcome than the albumin.

Read more about this study by clicking here.

VA Offers On Line Traumatic Brain Injury Course

The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers an on-line Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Independent Study Course.  This curriculum presents an overview of TBI issues that primary care practitioners may encounter when providing care to veterans and active duty military personnel.  While it is primarily designed for medical personnel and other practitioners interested in traumatic brain injury care, the course contains useful information for everyone.

You may access the on-line independent study course directly by establishing a username and password by clicking here.  When you go to the site you can also download a pdf version of the course without registering. 

Madden NFL 08 Criticized For Violent Content

Today's Houston Chronicle contains an interesting article, In games, it's all about the big hit.  The article discusses the mounting criticism of the new Madden video football game and its emphasis on violence.

I am honored to have been extensively quoted in the article about the myths perpetuated by the NFL in licensing this product.  This new version of Madden is reportedly the most violent version ever produced.  It's emphasis on the big hit sends the message to all who view this game, that the big hit doesn't cause any head injury or brain damage. 

If the NFL is serious in their concern over concussions, they ought to rethink the image they are creating in the minds of young fans when they allow these video games to be produced under their license. The NFL should learn that the best cure for brain injuries is prevention! 

Epilepsy Free Children's Event in New York City

FACES (Finding A Cure for Epilepsy), a not for profit organization, administered by the New York University Comprehensive Epilepsy Program will be hosting a Game Day on Saturday, September 29, 2007 from 2:00pm - 5:00pm at Chelsea Piers - Field House, West 23rd Street and the Hudson River, New York City

This free event will enable children with epilepsy, their siblings and parents to enjoy exclusive use of the Chelsea Piers Field House.   Families will enjoy soccer, basketball, batting cages, trampoline foam pits, rock climbing, a toddler gym, clowns, magicians, games and more!

To register, click here .

New York State Brain Injury Conference Announced

Each year the New York State Department of Health sponsors a full day symposium on traumatic brain injury bringing together providers, persons with a brain injury and family members from across New York State.  The Health Department has just announced that this year's program "Working Together: The Best Practices" will be held on October 11th from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center, Albany, New York.

The stated goal of the conference is "to provide an affordable and accessible opportunity for learning, training, networking and sharing for individuals who experience brain injury and their families, enhance knowledge, encourage the pursuit of excellence, and promote dignity and choice." 

This year's conference keynote speaker is Abigail Thomas, author of the A Three Dog Life, her account of life with her husband following his traumatic brain injury.  The story is a moving account of living with an individual following brain damage.  It is a book truly worth reading. 

Scholarships are available for persons with a brain injury and family members.  They must be requested by September 15th

For further information about this conference and to obtain a brochure, you can telephone Laura Roe at 518 474 6580 or you can e mail her.

More NFL Double Talk on Concussions

Just when I thought that maybe the NFL is getting it when it comes to concussions and preventing brain damage, comes an article in today's New York Times, New Advice by NFL in Handling Concussions.

According to the news report, the NFL has finally adapted a policy prohibiting players who have been knocked unconscious to return to play during the game in which they were injured.

Not bad, but what about players who were not knocked unconscious, but sustained a concussion anyway?  Don't they need the same protection.  It's been over twenty years now that we know that serious brain damage and concussions can happen even without loss of consciousness.  Come on NFL, read the medical literature!

And their is more.  The league says that their policy is only that of erring on the side of caution.  Not that they really believe that that it is necessary to keep players who have been knocked out from returning to play.  You've got to be kidding. 

The statements made by the league in this article are truly troubling.  It's time that this league not only talk the talk. It's time that they really get serious about concussions.

Useful Tips on Preventing Brain Injuries and Other Childhood Injury

Here's some useful advice to pass along to parents from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) on preventing head injury and other injuries to children returning to school:

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)  offers the following ABCs of back-to-school safety:

    (A)  Always wear the right helmet for the activity.

     Wearing a helmet significantly reduces the risk of a head injury and can save your child's life. Bicycle helmets, for instance, can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
    There are different helmets for different activities. Each type of helmet is made to protect the head from the impacts that are common to a particular sport or activity. For the best protection, make sure your child wears the right helmet whether it's for biking, football or baseball.
    Fit is important. A helmet should be comfortable and snug, level on the head and securely buckled so it doesn't move or fall off during a fall or collision.
    For more information on helmet safety, go to CPSC's publication "Which Helmet for Which Activity"

     (B) Be safe on the playground and on the soccer field.

    Hidden hazards can lurk on the playground or sports field. More than 200,000 children each year visit hospital emergency rooms due to injuries received on playgrounds.
    To prevent the most common type of playground injury -- a child falling from equipment -- make sure there is at least a nine inch layer of shock absorbing surface material made of wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel, or safety-tested rubber or fiber material mats underneath and around playground equipment.
    Cover exposed hardware that can catch clothing, and remove any free-hanging ropes. Both are strangulation hazards.
    On the soccer field, work with your school to ensure portable soccer goals are securely anchored when in use. Movable soccer goals can fall over and kill or injure children who climb on them or hang from the crossbar.  Since 1979, CPSC has reports of at least 28 deaths associated with soccer goals.

    (C)  Care with clothing and art materials.
   
      Don't buy jackets or sweatshirts, or any upper outerwear for children,if they have hood or neck drawstrings. Remove drawstrings from hoods or around the necks of jackets and sweatshirts in your children's closets.  Drawstrings pose a strangulation hazard because they can get caught on playground equipment or other products. Over the past 20 years, CPSC has received reports of 23 deaths and 64 non-fatal incidents involving the entanglement of children's clothing drawstrings.
   
      Art should be fun, not dangerous. Make sure any new art materials you buy or that your school uses contain the statement, "CONFORMS TO ASTM D-4236." Check older art materials to see if they've been recalled .

    For more information on back-to-school safety, go to CPSC's "Back to School Safety Checklist,"

Lead Paint Danger's At Home

By now we all have heard about the dangerous levels of lead paint found in Mattel toys manufactured in China.  But, did you know that the largest threat for lead poisoning in children today is still the lead paint found in walls and on other surfaces in the home?

Lead-based house paint was banned in 1978, but it's still on the walls, windows, trim and doors of an estimated 20 million homes. It likely has been painted over many times in most homes, but it's still a hazard if exposed. What's worse, old paint on window casings can create lead dust for decades when the window is opened and closed.

Lead is a potent neurotoxin that can affect the brain, resulting in a lower IQ, poor memory and attention, decreased motor skills and self-control, and increased aggression.

Infants and toddlers are especially vulnerable because their brains are developing quickly, and they tend to put their hands in their mouths often, swallowing lead dust from floors, walls and elsewhere.

Because the dangers of lead paint poisoning cannot be detected by merely looking at a child, all children need to have blood tests for lead paint screening. 

New web site for Sports Legacy Institute

My good friend Chris Nowinski, author of Head Games, a wonderful book about the crisis of concussions in sports today, has just launched a new web site for the Sports Legacy Institute.

The Sports Legacy Institute  (SLI) is dedicated to studying the effects of concussions and other sports related brain injuries.  Through its efforts, SLI aims to  maximize the safety and vitality of all athletes who participate in contact and collision sports around the globe. 

If you go to the Institutes's web site, you can get on their email list to be updated on their mission.

Change the Face of Sports - Make a Donation to the Sports Legacy Institute:

To promote medical and scientific research, education, prevention, and advocacy in brain related sports injury issues, the Sports Legacy Institute relies on the financial support of people who are interested in seeing the health and wellness of athletes of all ages and the overall safety of sports improved.   Click here for further information about donating to the Sports Legacy Institute.

NFL Concussion Hotline

The NFL has just announced that it would establish a concussion hot line to report information on a confidential basis about players being forced to practice or play against medical advice.

"We want to make sure all NFL players, coaches and staff members are fully informed and take advantage of the most up-to-date information and resources as we continue to study the long-term impact of concussions," commissioner Roger Goodell said. "Because of the unique and complex nature of the brain, our goal is to continue to have concussions managed conservatively by outstanding medical personnel in a way that clearly emphasizes player safety over competitive concerns."

Let's hope that the word gets out to all players, coaches and trainers that concussions and suspected concussions must be treated seriously.  The life long consequences of concussions and the added risk from repeated concussions mandates that any return to play decision be made with an abundance of caution. 

Their is no such thing as a trivial concussion!! 

The league should be commended for taking this step and I look forward to them taking further action to educate players, coaches, trainers and family members about the signs and symptoms of concussions and proper concussion management.

The NFL also released a pamphlet of how to identify concussions and noted that not every hard hit to the head leads to one, but a concussion can "only be determined by your team doctors and athletic trainers."

According to a study released earlier this year by the University of North Carolina's Center for the Study of Retired Athletes, a survey of over 2,500 retired NFL players revealed the rate of diagnosed clinical depression had a strong relation to the number of concussions that particular player sustained.

Free On Line Brain Injury Magazine

Thanks to Mind Hacks for alerting me to an on line magazine called cerebrum published by the neuroeducation not for profit organization known as the Dana Foundation.

The monthly on line brain publication discusses emerging topics in brain science. This month's issue features an article on pain control.  Past issues have discussed cerebral malaria and chemical reactions in the brain following brain damage known as a glutamate storm.

Neurosurgeons Operate On Wrong Side of Brain For Third Time!

I try to refrain from criticizing the medical profession on this blog, but this time, I really have no choice. It's hard to believe, but for a third time, neurosurgeons at a Providence Rhode Island Hospital have operated on the wrong side of a patient's brain!

The error at Rhode Island Hospital was the second time this year a neurosurgeon there performed a procedure on the wrong side of the head, and the third such mix-up since 2001.

The Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation (JCAH) is reevaluating its standards and safeguards in light of this and other mistakes where surgery has been performed on the wrong side of a patient's body.

Current standards require that hospital staff verify that they have the right patient and body part, mark the body part to be operated on, and take a "time out" in the operating room to double-check the surgical site before starting the procedure.

Even with all these safeguards, this act of medical malpractice still took place.  It's not enough that the hospital's have these safety procedures in place, they need to be followed and when they are not, thought has to be given to stringent penalties to both the hospital and the individuals involved including license revocation and criminal proceedings.  There can simply be no acceptable excuse or explanation for this type of malpractice. 

Reportedly, nationwide, hospitals have reported 552 cases of wrong-site surgery to the joint commission since 1995. I wonder how many more of these surgical mistakes took place that weren't reported to the Joint Commission?

You can read the full story by clicking here.

Vote for TBI Question for Democratic Presidential Debate

If you have been following this blog, you know about Darcy Keith from Fishers, Indiana and the important question she posed to ABC news in connection with the recent republican presidential debate in Iowa.  Now we have a chance to again vote and hopefully the question will be asked in the democratic debate scheduled for August 19th. 

Here's the question:  How are you going to address the needs for services, treatment, rehabilitation and public education for those who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury.

Although the question wasn't asked directly to the candidates during the debate, it was asked in a post debate interview.  Darcy was pleased with the response although it did not address the important issue of public education and awareness of this silent epidemic that affects millions of Americans.

Here is Darcy's response:

The public education of Traumatic Brain Injury is very important.  There is a negative stigma associated with traumatic brain injuries. Most folks don't understand what type of injury this is, not to mention the affect it has on survivors, family caregivers and society.

You can now vote by clicking this link to have this question asked on national television of the democratic candidates.  Simply open the link and then click the box under the video that says rate it.  Click the fifth star to give it the highest possible rating.

Let's go Darcy!

International Brain Injury Conference: Call for Papers

The International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) will hold its Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury, in Lisbon Portugal from April 9-12, 2008.

This brain injury conference is the largest gathering of international professionals working in the field of brain injury. Delegates are comprised of neurosurgeons, rehabilitation physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, social workers, nurses, case managers, legal professionals, advocates and all others working in the field of brain injury.

The aim of the Seventh World Congress is to provide an opportunity for establishing collegial relationships with international professionals focused on the care and/or service of persons with acquired brain injury and/or the science of brain injury research. State of the art research will be presented dealing with information spanning from basic science to clinical (coma to community) aspects of brain injury.

International priorities in the field of brain injury research will be discussed. Finally, the Congress seeks to provide didactic opportunities for clinicians interested in advancing their knowledge in brain injury science, medicine and care.

The deadline for submitting a paper for the Congress is November 16, 2007.

Abstracts will be reviewed by the Congress’s Scientific Committee, which will determine the most appropriate presentation format (oral presentation or poster) for each abstract accepted. Submissions must be data-driven or assessment/treatment model descriptions.

Only abstracts written in English and submitted online will be considered. Be sure that abstracts do not contain grammatical or spelling errors, which may disqualify your submission.

To submit a paper, or to find out more about the IBIA Congress, click here . 

More on Iowa Brain Injury Presidential Debate Question

The question posed by Darcy wasn't asked by ABC during the debate last week but it was featured in the post-debate spin room where it was asked of Representative Duncan.  This footage was shown on ABC Go Demand cable channel.  Click here to hear the question and the response. 

Darcy has informed me that she will be uploading the same question for the upcoming ABC Democratic debate which is August 19th.  I'll let you know when you can begin voting.

Mid Hudson, New York Brain Injury Conference Announced

The Northeast Center for Special Care has announced  their third annual brain injury conference scheduled for September 20, 2007 to be held in Kingston, New York.

The conference is aimed at professionals and clinicians who support consumers with Traumatic Brain Injury.  It is directed to service coordinators, independent living specialists, community integration counselors, regional resource development specialists, home and community support support staff, TBI coordinators, case managers, social workers, nurses, physician  and clinicians.

You can obtain further information by clicking here.

Traumatic Epilepsy Centers Proposed For Returning Vets

U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Larry Craig (R-ID) introduced joint legislation to establish six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Epilepsy Centers of Excellence across the country.  The bill is designed to with the treatment of post traumatic epilepsy following brain trauma. 

The Murray-Craig bill authorizes $6 million annually for the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence to support clinical, research and education efforts surrounding the incidence of epilepsy among current and future veterans with head and brain injuries.

According to Senator Craig, "Experts have indicated that half of all Vietnam veterans who suffered penetrating brain injuries suffer from what is known as 'post-traumatic epilepsy' many years down the line.  While there is no evidence yet as to the impact of TBI-induced epilepsy from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, this bill will ensure that we are prepared for that possibility,"

At a May hearing, Dr. John Booss, MD,, testified before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee about TBI on behalf of the American Academy of Neurology. 

Booss told the committee that VA-funded research, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Defense, found that 53 percent of veterans who suffered a penetrating TBI in Vietnam developed epilepsy within 15 years.  For these service-connected veterans, the relative risk for developing epilepsy more than 10 to 15 years after their injury was 25 times higher than non-veterans in the same age group.

"Indeed, 15 percent did not manifest epilepsy until five or more years after their combat injury.  As neurologists, we believe that the rate of epilepsy from blast TBI will also be high," Booss said.

The Murray-Craig bill would require the designation of the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence within 120 days after enactment. The locations of the centers would be determined by the VA Secretary, upon recommendation of the Under Secretary for Health based upon a competitive process to assess the scientific and clinical merit of the proposals from VA medical facilities.  The review panel is to be assembled by the VA Director of Neurology and consist of experts in epilepsy, including post-traumatic epilepsy.  The VA Director of Neurology will be responsible for supervising the operation of the Centers and shall provide ongoing evaluation of the Centers.

While I laud the purpose behind this legislative proposal, I would also recommend that those suffering from traumatic epilepsy be permitted to seek treatment in established epilepsy centers that already exist in medical centers throughout the country.  To require veterans to receive this type of care only at established VA centers fails to take into account the expertise that already exists in this area and the proximity that non VA centers may have to where veterans actually reside.

Rural Care for Brain Injured Vets

We all know that brain injury rehabilitation services for those living in rural areas is particularly hard to come by.  Services in VA regional centers and at VA hospitals often are not in close proximity to where the soldier lives and are not readily accessible.

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., has introduced legislation in Congress that aims to correct this problem for returning brain injured soldiers.

Her bill  directs the secretary of Veterans Affairs to establish a pilot program to treat veterans diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries in rural America.  These treatment programs would provide much needed brain injury rehabilitation services in centers close to where veteran's actually live and make these services accessible to them.

Capito's bill would provide for the training of case managers who would be assigned to veterans with traumatic brain injuries in rural areas. The case managers would work with local health care providers to coordinate the appropriate care for those veterans while they stay home.

The pilot program would include five rural states to be chosen by the VA. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

fMRI Used To Detect Concussions and Return to Play Decisions In Athletes

fMRI (Functional MRI studies) have been reported to be used by the University of Pittsburgh to assist in making important return to play decisions following sports concussions.

A five year study funded by the National Institutes of Health is published in the August issue of Neurosurgery.  This study conducted by the Sports Medicine Concussion Program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine  found that the brain activity in children and adolescents on functional MRI (fMRI) was clearly related to their performance on neuropsychological tests of attention and memory and to their report of symptoms such as headaches.

The study authors Drs Lovell and Collins conclude that the results of their study confirm crucial objective information that is commonly obtained by neuropsychological testing to help team doctors and athletic trainers make critical decisions about concussion management and safe return to playor understanding the recovery process after sports-related concussions.

The study helps define concussion and recovery for safe return-to-play and confirms information obtained by neuropsychological testing.

A concussion can occur when an athlete receives a traumatic force to the head or upper body that causes the brain to shake inside of the skull. Injury is defined as a concussion when it causes a change in mental status such as loss of consciousness, amnesia, disorientation, confusion or mental fogginess. The severity, effects and recovery of concussion are difficult to determine because no two concussions are alike, and symptoms are not always straightforward.

In recent years, research has shown that until a concussed brain is completely healed, the brain may be vulnerable to further injury, which has led to published studies that have raised public awareness and significantly changed the way sports concussions are managed. Importantly, much of this research has included data that proves the usefulness of objective neuropsychological test data as part of the comprehensive clinical evaluation to determine clinical recovery following concussion.

While neuropsychological testing has become an increasingly useful tool, no other published studies have examined the relationship between changes in computerized neuropsychological testing completed in a medical clinic and brain function as measured by fMRI.

fMRI is one of the few brain scanning tools that can show brain activity, not just the anatomy. Traditional brain scanning techniques such as MRI and CT are helpful in viewing changes to the brain anatomy in more severe cases, but cannot identify subtle brain-related changes that are believed to occur on a metabolic rather than an anatomic level.

fMRI can determine, through measurement of cerebral blood flow and metabolic changes, which parts of the brain are activated in response to different cognitive activities.

For more information on published research concerning sports concussion management, visit the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program Web site .

3-D Brain Imaging

Three dimensional (3-d) brain imaging is the latest advance in medical technology to assist neurosurgeons in brain surgery.

The computerized procedure uses interactive 3-D technology to map the human brain and help guide neurological surgeons during epilepsy surgery and procedures to remove malignant brain tumors.

This imaging technology can help surgeons better determine the location of tumors for removal. The 3-D mapping also helps guide surgeons during epilepsy procedures to see exactly where electrodes have been placed in the brain and portions of the brain that may have to be removed to help stop seizures.

The procedure has been implemented at Jefferson Hospital for Neuroscience, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  which is one of first medical centers in the U.S. to develop and begin using technology.  The software used to power this system is called MediCAD.

DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) images of the brain are integrated and downloaded, using the MediCAD software, onto PCs in the operating room (OR). This allows the surgeons to view almost real-time digital map of a patient’s brain and better perceive brain activity information. MediCAD also allows the surgeons to virtual “slice” the brain into sections, zoom in for close-ups of sections of the brain and even rotate the image in various directions.

Now is this cool, or is this cool?

This new technology will certainly improve the accuracy of neurosurgeons and hopefully will be expanded to other brain surgeries as well.

It's Not To Late To Vote For The Brain Injury Question

Good news, Darcy made the first cut in the ABC determination as to what questions they are going to ask the Republican presidential candidates during the Iowa debate. [see my brain injury blog post of August 2]

The voting will end tonight (Saturday) so it's not to late to vote for Darcy's question on brain injury and brain injury support services.

You can cast your ballot by clicking here.

Be sure to click on the rate it button and then use the mouse to click plenty of stars.

Let's make sure that the question on brain injury gets asked.  Help spread the word.

Upcoming Brain Injury Conferences

The following is a list of significant upcoming brain injury conferences.

SEPTEMBER

September 5, 2007:
National Association of Head Injury Administrators (NASHIA)
NASHIA Pre-Conference Workshop: Seamless Transitions… Supporting Our Veterans and Families St. Louis, Missouri Hotel Reservation Deadline: August 15, 2007. For more information, click here.

September 5-8, 2007:
NASHIA’s 18th Annual State of the States in Head Injury Meeting:
Gateway to What Works in the World of TBI St. Louis, Missouri Hotel Reservation Deadline: August 15, 2007. For more information click here.

September 19, 2007:
Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury:
Is America Meeting Their Needs? A National Debate Town Hall Meeting Georgetown University Gaston Hall Washington, DC Deadline for Accommodation Requests: August 15, 2007.
Click here for the brochure.

I have already made plans to attend this excellent conference which brings together the leading experts on traumatic brain injury to discuss the troubling issues surrounding rehabilitation of our returning veterans.

September 27-29, 2007:
North American Brain Injury Society Annual Conference
The North American Brain Injury Society’s 5th Annual Conference on Brain Injury The Westin Riverwalk San Antonio, Texas Early Registration & Discount for Accommodation ends: August 27, 2007.
For more information, click here .

This is an excellent conference that has a separate legal track for lawyers handling brain injury cases and for medical personnel involved in brain injury rehabilitation.

I have been honored in the past four years of this conference to provide a presentation to the legal section.  This year, I have again been invited to give a presentation on effective opening statements in brain injury litigation.

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OCTOBER

October 3-7, 2007
American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
2007 ACRM-ASNR Joint Educational Conference Renaissance Washington Washington, DC Early Bird Registration Deadline: September 4, 2007.Hotel Reservation Deadline: September 4, 2007.
For more information, click here.
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NOVEMBER

November 8-10, 2007
New Frontiers in Pediatric Brain Injury
Westin San Diego at Emerald Plaza,San Diego, California
Early Registration ends: September 15, 2007. For more information, click here .
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APRIL 2008

April 9-12, 2008
International Brain Injury Association (IBIA)
Seventh World Congress on Brain Injury, Lisbon, Portugal
Call for Papers Deadline: November 16, 2007.  For more information, click here .

Once again, if you know of a brain injury conference, please e mail me so that I can post it on the Brain Injury News and Information blog.

Vote on Asking Presidential Candidates Question on Traumatic Brain Injury Services

On Sunday, August 5th, ABC News is sponsoring a debate in Iowa for the Republican presidential candidates.  Viewers were invited to submit questions in advance and those voted to be the most popular will be asked of the candidates.

Darcy submitted a question concerning traumatic brain injury and our nation's commitment to care for those with brain damage. She needs your help in voting for this question so that it gets asked at the debate.

Here is the letter and instructions on voting for the traumatic brain injury question: 

Hi,

I wanted to ask for your help on something pretty exciting.  Last Thursday, I received a call from ABC New York (yeah - I about dropped the phone).  Because I had submitted a question via ABC's website to Bob Woodruff, which was featured in his interview this past March, they called me to ask if I would submit one for the upcoming presidential debates in Iowa, of which the first one for the Republicans is this Sunday, August 5th. Of course, I agreed.

This is where I need your help.  I uploaded a question to ABC that I want the presidential candidates to address - traumatic brain injury and what is their plan of care (treatment, rehab, services, public education) for TBI victims, especially for the returning soldiers.  ABC posted my question on their website yesterday. They are having viewers log on and vote for their favorite video question that they think George should ask.  The one(s) with the most votes are being considered to be shown on LIVE TV during the Presidential debate this Sunday!

I am really excited about this, though I felt a little deflated after seeing what the public's rating of the question was last night.  Out of 5 stars, 388 viewers have rated it as a 2 1/2.  This emphasizes to me the NEED for public education about traumatic brain injury (TBI) and that the public has no clue of the effect that this type of injury has on the victim, caregiver, and society.  E-mails have been circulating all over the place today among brain injury groups, and now the rating is up to 4 1/2 stars, and the 2nd top rated and 4th most viewed!  Woo Whoo!

Would you help me by voting for the TBI message?  It's easy to do.  I attached the link:

It should come up on the page highlighting the "Most Recent" tab in the middle of the page.  My question, titled "Better treatment for Soldiers with Traumatic Brain Injury", is in the middle of the 3rd page of "Most Recent" at the time of this e-mail.  Click on my video title.  It will take you to a new page that displays the video.  Below the caption, "Darcy Keith! wants to ask the candidates...", there is a box that says "Rate it".  Click on the box and up will pop the 5 empty stars.  Click on the star you think should apply - I hope that you would click on the far right star so that all of them turn yellow to give it a 5 star rating.  Once you have made your choice, the black box will close automatically. 

As Bob Woodruff reported, many veterans and other folks with a TBI do not have available the services, treatment, and rehabilitation that they need.  Please join with me in voting 5 stars and sending America a message that those brave soldiers and the 1.4 million American civilians who get a brain injury every year matter and are important!  The more "views" and star ratings of a video, the more the message will be sent that TBI is an injury that needs to be addressed and treated.  We have been silent long enough.  And, thanks to Bob Woodruff, the injury has been receiving some publicity lately.

If you would please pass this on to as many folks that would help in bringing the issue of traumatic brain injury to the new administration and the public in general by voting for it to be shown on LIVE NATIONAL TV next Sunday, I would be most appreciative.

With deepest gratitude,

Darcy

California Veterans With Brain Damage To Receive Free Assistance From Easter Seals

Easter Seals is launching a pilot project to help veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan with mild to moderate Traumatic Brain Injury in San Diego and Riverside counties in California.

At the onset of the project, three affiliates of Easter Seals with funding from the Ludy Family Foundation, will provide cognitive rehabilitation through the use of a computer based training program that is designed to improve memory, communication and clarity of thinking.

Veterans and their families can obtain further information by calling toll-free, (866) 423-4981, or by sending an e-mail to easter seals. The program is offered at no charge to participants.

New Hope for Patient's in Minimally Conscious State

According to new's report's, tomorrow's edition of the journal Nature has an article on how deep brain stimulation caused a patient who was in a minimally conscious state for six years to begin talking and eating on his own!

The term "minimally conscious state" is used to describe patients who have recovered past the stages of coma and vegetative state and have some degree of conscious awareness of their surrounds on a non consistent basis.

Brain scans taken of this gentleman showed that he had severe brain damage but that there were many brain circuits that were still functioning properly.  The researchers implanted electrodes in his brain to stimulate an area known as the thalamus region.  Two days after surgery, the doctors turned the electrodes on as an initial test of deep brain stimulation.  When they did that, the man was able to keep his eyes open longer than before the surgery, and he was able to turn his head when someone spoke.

Over the next six months, the doctors gradually gave the man deep brain stimulation. He gained the ability to chew and swallow food and to talk more, even occasionally saying sentences up to six words long.

More research is necessary before it can be determined exactly what group of patient's can be helped by deep brain stimulation treatment.

The full article can be found in Nature, Aug. 2, 2007; vol 448: pp 600-604.

Let's Ban Hits to the Head in Hockey

FOXSports columnist Mike Chen has come up with a good idea to protect hockey players from the dangers of concussions.

He has proposed that the National Hockey League adapt the same rule that some Canadian junior leagues have that penalize hits to the head.  Here's his suggestion:

"Any damaging contact to a player's head, whether it be by shoulder, elbow, hand, forearm, or stick, should be made a minor penalty with the potential for major as judged by the discretion of the official. Just as inadvertent high sticks are penalties, so should blows to the head. If the NHL can penalize hits below the knee, they can penalize hits from the neck up. It's as simple as calling slashing."

I always thought that the idea behind hockey was to hit the puck, not a player's head.  Why not take this worthwhile suggestion a step further and eject any player who strikes another player in the head?

The only way that we are really going to reduce the incidence of concussions in sports is when the leagues institute tough no nonsense policies that will protect the health and safety of the player without distracting from the point of the game.

Mike Chen also writes a hockey blog.