A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can turn a child’s world upside down. Not only because of the unexpected accident, but because the healing process is really slow and unpredictable. It is common for children to need extra supports in school, even if they never missed a single class. It is important to have a plan so the student has resources in place to minimize the impact of their injury.
Transitioning to school after TBI
The school should have their own process for transitioning your child back to school. It should look something like this:
- Assign head of transition team
- Have a meeting to determine where the student is in the healing process and what supports may be needed
- Determine if assessments are necessary to qualify student for an IEP or 504
- Have IEP/504 meeting
- Review every quarter to make sure the student is getting everything needed.
Qualifying for IEP or 504
TBI is one of the qualifying categories for an IEP, and if the injury has created a disability, the student may be eligible for a 504. The disability has to impair the student’s ability to learn in order to get a 504. It must also impair students ability to access their education in order to qualify for an IEP. Read IEP vs. 504 Plan: What’s the Difference? to understand qualifications of each.
Get More Information
I created a Powerpoint presentation called Returning to School After TBI to help parents and school professionals know how to support students with this disability.
See the full presentation.Videos shown in the presentation (because Slideshare doesn’t show them):
- Christopher Nowinski on the Nuances of Brain Injury in Children
- Britt Payton, soccer goalie suffers from 2nd Impact Syndrome
