Sensory changes in school students with an ABI fact sheet
Sensory changes in school students with an acquired brain injury
Changes in vision
Following a brain injury, a number of disturbances of vision can occur. The type of visual disturbance will depend on the location and extent of the brain injury and any complications that may occur. The visual deficit may be temporary or permanent and eye specialists will determine if any treatment is necessary.
Visual Field Loss
Children who have gaps in visual fields, or “blind spots” are often not aware that they have a visual problem. The most common pattern is called hemianopia, where part of the visual field is lost in each eye:
For example, in a right hemianopia, the blindness affects the right side of both visual fields. This is represented in the above diagram, where the darkened area indicates the area of visual field that is unable to be seen. By turning their eyes or head, the child would be able to see the “hidden area”. A visual field loss is likely to persist over time.
What you might see |
What this could mean |
Strategies to assist the student |
---|---|---|
Student closing one eye | They could have double vision. |
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Misreading one side of the page/blackboard | They are missing part of the written work resulting in decreased comprehension. |
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Trouble looking from desk to the board | Eye gaze difficulties resulting from changes in the eye muscles. |
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Trouble finding items in the classroom | Not scanning appropriately to find objects around them. |
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Bumping into objects when negotiating the environment or have difficulty getting through crowds and doors | They may have difficulty moving from place to place in the school, lack the confidence to do things independently. |
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Not being aware of people or objects approaching from the affected side | They may become easily startled and not be aware of balls approaching them in the playground or during sport. |
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Changes in hearing
Hearing loss can sometimes occur with brain injury. This can be the result of damage to the tiny bones in the middle ear or a fracture of the inner ear or cochlea. Even if the hearing in the ear itself is not damaged, a person with brain injury can have a loss in hearing that is caused by the way sound is understood in the brain.
What you might see |
What this could mean |
Strategies to assist the student |
---|---|---|
Student turning their head to one side to hear | Hearing loss on one side. |
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Student not following instructions | They have not heard the instructions. |
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Changes to touch and temperature
Students with brain injury may also experience changes to their touch and temperature system.
What you might see |
What this could mean |
Strategies to assist the student |
---|---|---|
Ignoring one side of their body | They have a “hemiplegia” where they have decreased sensation and movement on one side of their body. |
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Student exploring their environment through touch | They have decreased feeling therefore increased need to explore and learn through touching items more. |
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Increased burns or accidents | Students not aware of sense of pain. |
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Contact us
Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service
Queensland Children’s Hospital
Level 6, 501 Stanley Street, South Brisbane 4101
t: 07 3068 2950
t: 07 3068 1111 (general enquiries)
f: 07 3068 3909
e: qprs@health.qld.gov.au
In an emergency, always call 000.
If it’s not an emergency but you have any concerns, contact 13 Health (13 43 2584). Qualified staff will give you advice on who to talk to and how quickly you should do it. You can phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Developed by the Queensland Paediatric Rehabilitation Service, Children’s Health Queensland. Updated: October 2017. All information contained in this sheet has been supplied by qualified professionals as a guideline for care only. Seek medical advice, as appropriate, for concerns regarding your child’s health.