With improvements in medical technology, the number of children and adolescents surviving traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and returning to school is increasing. Since many of these students will require specialized programming, school personnel must be knowledgeable about this population and trained to provide the necessary services. TBI is the leading killer and cause of disability in children and young adults.

According to the New York State Education Department, a TBI is:

A brain injury caused by an external force (open or closed head injury) or by certain medical conditions (stroke, encephalitis, aneurysm, anoxia, brain tumor) with resulting impairments that adversely affect educational performance. The term does not include injuries that are congenital or caused by birth trauma.

The TBI disability category was developed in 1990 to identify eligibility for special education services for students who have had a direct injury to the brain as the result of a medical condition or physical trauma.

A traumatic brain injury can cause physical, cognitive, and social impairments in varying degrees. These can include memory deficits, perceptual problems, poor judgment, behavior disorders, difficulty with organization, speech-language disorders, and a reduced capacity for new learning.