Essay on Brainstem Injuries and the Neuropsychologist

Brainstem Injuries and the Neuropsychologist The Neuropsychologist plays an essential function in assessment and rehabilitation after an injury to the head. Neuropsychologists essentially bear responsibility for testing and tracking the patients thinking ability. Below are key functions provided by clinical neuropsychologists: - Carrying out detailed assessments of cognition, emotion, behavior, and social competence; - Devising and implementing training programs; - Liaising with educational agencies/ employers to advise on the resumption of educational/ vocational life; - Advising on the management cognitive deficits/ disabilities; - Advising and providing long term care; - Providing†¦show more content†¦- Provide a profile of strengths and weaknesses to guide rehabilitation, educational, vocational, or other services. - Document changes in functioning since prior examinations, including effects of treatment. - Clarify what compensatory strategies would help. - Result in referrals to other specialists, such as educational therapists, cognitive rehabilitation professionals, neurologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, special education teachers, or vocational counselors (www.neuropsychologycentral.com, 2005). Neuropsychologists evaluate and monitor the course of recovery or the efficiency of rehabilitation. And the big question Is the person getting better? A Neuropsychological evaluation may be essential to verify whether a person really has a brainstem injury. The effects of stress, medications, and or depression can be easily confused with mild brain injury. Some research indicates that neuropsychologists have noticed an absence of depression in patients with severe traumatic brain injury, yet cortisol is reduced below normal levels in those patients (Reiter, 2005). Is the persons brain really injured or is there another reason for the assumed behavior? Is the brain injury still apparent? What are the causes of the brain injury? These are the types of diagnostic questions a neuropsychologist can answer (www.neuropsychologycentral.com,Show MoreRelatedWilliam s Parkinson s Disease And Miguel s Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy Essay1429 Words   |  6 Pagesresolve with 24 hours. Those with severe HIE could have long terms effects like epilepsy, motor and cognitive impairment and neurodevelopmental delays. 2. Differences between Broca’s Aphasia and Wernicke’s Aphasia Aphasia is associated with brain injuries, like strokes, that affects the brain’s language areas resulting in a person being impaired in processing and using language. According to the textbook, there are six principle types of aphasia. Broca’s aphasia and Wernicke’s aphasia are two of theseRead MoreConcussions And Their Impacts On Life1864 Words   |  8 PagesOnce flippantly referred to as having one’s bell rung, mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) or concussions are no innocuous contusions. Annually in the United States, approximately 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury that is confirmed through diagnosis. Of these, roughly 75% are categorized as mTBIs or concussions, although the total number of concussions may be slighted considering 81-92% of these injuries do not result in loss of consciousness. Recent controversy concerning professional