Approximately 1.7 million people acquire a traumatic brain injury in the United States every year, impacting millions of people’s daily lives (Powell, Rich, & Wise, 2016). A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external or internal force impacts the brain, which causes physical and chemical alterations in the brain. In recent years, rates of TBI have increased dramatically; however, more people are receiving treatment after a TBI, so mortality rates are decreasing (“Rates of TBI-related emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths,” 2016). According to Andriessen et al. (2011), the leading cause of a TBI is motor vehicle accidents, followed by falls, assaults, and sports. The course and outcome of a TBI is specific …show more content…
The “Occupational Therapy Practice Framework: Domain and Process” (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014) stresses the importance of how occupation, performance patterns and skills, and contexts influence a client’s occupational performance. One of the biggest occupational performances that is hindered is the occupation of activities of daily living (ADL). ADLs may be affected because of balance problems, fatigue, or muscle impairments, so bathing, dressing, and functional mobility may be impacted (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). Work is another occupation that will be highly affected because clients cannot return to work until they are cleared by a doctor and job performances may be declined. Leisure, social participation, sleep, and instrumental activities of daily living are also affected to some degree (Powell et al., 2016). Performance skills are affected in clients with a TBI because motor, process, and communication skills are affected, which leads to difficulties coordination, sequencing, processing, and speaking (American Occupational Therapy Association,