Pediatric anoxic brain injury

What is a pediatric anoxic brain injury?

Anoxic brain injury is defined by a one-time event that causes harm to the brain. This harm can cause oxygen deprivation to the brain, which leads to brain cell death within minutes. This can lead to complications with a variety of brain functions, including cognitive (mental), physiological (physical) and emotional.

What are the signs and symptoms of a pediatric anoxic brain injury?

The severity of symptoms will depend on how long the child is without oxygen and the amount of brain damage. Intellectual, physical or emotional shortfalls may become apparent later, as the child continues to develop.

Symptoms include:

• Problems understanding and responding to emotions

• Developmental delays (emotional, growth or intellectual)

• Difficulty with words, including using the right word or confusing similar terms

• Apraxia (inability to complete a sequence of movements like brushing teeth)

• Impulsive behavior or poor decision-making skills

• Problems understanding reasoning

• Balance issues (bobbing or weaving)

• Quadriparesis (weakness in all four limbs)

• Movement disorders (like spasticity or myoclonus) that cause jerking motions or trembling

• Visual problems, including difficulty recognizing colors, objects or shapes

• Short-term memory loss

What are the causes of a pediatric anoxic brain injury?

Accidents, injuries and certain diseases can cause anoxic brain injury.

These include:

• Bike or car accident

• Brain or skull trauma

• Carbon monoxide or other toxic gas poisoning

• Cardiac arrest or stroke

• Drowning

• Falls from great heights

• Infections, like meningitis or sepsis

• Respiratory arrest (stop breathing)

• Severe loss of blood due to trauma

• Cardiac or pulmonary diseases, such as coronary artery disease or severe pneumonia