Advice to those who have suffered concussion provided for free online

An online course designed to educate people on traumatic brain injury is rolled out for free.

After noticing a lack of resources for the public to learn about brain injury, senior lecturer Dr Jenna Ziebell designed the course to bridge the gap. The online course provides information about how the brain functions, the different types of traumatic brain injury and what consequences they can have.

The University of Tasmania in Australia has provided the free online course through their Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre and has already been completed by over 25,000 around the world.

The course specifically hopes to help those who have suffered concussion or other brain injury which may result in varying types of symptoms as researchers estimate almost 70 million people have suffered a traumatic brain injury around the world every year and 80 per cent of those were concussions. Dr Ziebell said:

"It is estimated that for every concussion reported there are three more concussed individuals who did not seek any medical attention. This means the real number of concussions which occur each year could be in excess of 220 million. There's a really vast array of information out there but whether or not it's getting to the right people so that we can support those who have sustained a concussion adequately throughout the recovery period is really challenging."

Brain injury is often referred to as an ‘invisible illness’ because the person might look the same, but they have experiences afterwards which can change the way that they function in a range of areas, which can vary from person to person.

The researchers are seeking feedback from people who have suffered traumatic brain injuries about the limitations of the course as they seek to get as many people to complete it as possible. You can access the course here.

Rachel Rees, Solicitor Consultant in personal injury at Potter Rees Dolan, said:

“Many people who have sustained concussion benefit from online forums and peer support groups together with face-to-face peer support at charitable support groups such as Headway branches – these are invaluable in helping them and most importantly their family members to understand the effects of their injuries and how best to manage these and seek professional support to try and alleviate the mental health cascade of psychological problems that can follow.

This resource appears to be very useful addition, and many concussion sufferers often first locate helpful information via the internet, particularly as many either not have do not obtain early medical attention (as they may not have even been aware they sustained injury) or are given minimal or no information about the long-term effects of this poorly understood condition. Increasing awareness can only be a good thing particularly as early understanding and appropriate therapy is key to reducing long-term disability.”

At Potter Rees Dolan, we know that suffering from post-concussion syndrome (or mild traumatic brain injury) can be stressful and confusing, leading to side effects that can alter your life both physically and emotionally. Our specialist, accredited personal injury solicitors are here to help you claim compensation if your injury was caused by a third party. Visit our dedicated page here for more information.

Similar articles:

• Post-concussion syndrome: how a bump on the head can affect your brain for years
• What is CTE Brain Injury, and Can You Claim Compensation?

Rachel Rees is a Solicitor Consultant in personal injury here at Potter Rees Dolan. Should you have any queries about post concussion syndrome, or indeed any other aspect of this article and wish to speak to Rachel or any other member of the team, please contact us on 0800 027 2557 or contact Rachel directly.