When you injure your brain, you injure the most important part of the body.
Your brain controls your ability to think, talk, move, and breathe. In addition to being responsible for your senses, emotions, memory, and personality, your brain allows every part of your body to function - even when you're sleeping.
Brain injuries can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.
Persons with brain injury can be infants, children, youth, young and middle-aged adults – it can happen to anyone at anytime. There is no way to prepare for a brain injury; it is by definition a life altering event.
Brain Injury can affect your ability to:
- Think and solve problems
- Move your body and speak
- Control your behavior, emotions, and reactions
What Causes Head Injuries?
- Falls
- Bike accidents
- Car crashes
- Sport injuries
- Child abuse
What Should I Do if My Child Has a Serious Head Injury?
Call 911 if your child has a head injury and they:
- Lose consciousness (pass out)
- Can’t respond to you
- Have changes in vision
- Have a serious wound or one that bleeds a lot
- Have blood or clear fluid coming from their nose or ear
- Have changes in behavior, such as agitation, confusion, or being very sleepy
- Dizzy or stumbling
- Have a seizure
- Vomit more than twice or vomit hours after the injury
- Have weakness or numbness/tingling in both arms or legs
- Have neck pain or tenderness
What Can Help Prevent Head Injuries?
Not all head injuries can be prevented. But it’s always wise to:
- Make sure kids wear a helmet when skiing, snowboarding, biking, riding a scooter, skateboarding, or rollerblading. A head injury can still happen, but the helmet can protect them from a skull fracture and serious brain injury.
- Have kids use any safety equipment specific to their sport.
- Have kids use the proper car seat, booster seat, and/or seatbelts every time they're in a car.
- Childproof your home.
- Use playgrounds that have soft ground surfaces like mulch (not dirt or concrete).
- Talk to coaches to make sure that all teams your kids play on have rules to reduce the risk of head injuries and concussions, such as limits on tackling (football) or heading the ball (soccer). Also make sure that the coach will take your child out of play if a head injury happens.
- Talk to your kids about never hiding a head injury. They should stop the sport or activity that caused the head injury and go to a parent, coach, or teacher right away.
ABC's of Brain Injury
Understanding brain injury is crucial for supporting a child’s recovery and well-being. Our Parents Lead handout explains the ABCs of brain injury, offering clear and practical information to help parents and caregivers recognize symptoms, navigate treatment options, and provide the best care possible.
Brain Injury and Substance Use
A resource to help parents and caregivers understand the connection between brain injuries and substance use.
Brain Injury and Mental Health
A resource to help parents and caregivers understand the connection between brain injuries and mental health. Our guide offers insight into the signs to look for, the potential impact on emotional well-being, and strategies to support your child’s recovery and mental health.
Brain Injury Infographics
A resource to help parents and caregivers understand Traumatic Brain Injury, ways you can prevent and what symptoms to look for.
Brain Injury and Education
Supporting Your Loved One in Treatment
Substance abuse affects the whole family, not just the individual who is addicted.
Youth Substance Use: Signs and Symptoms
A Parents Lead handout of signs and symptoms for Youth Substance Use.
Mental Health Program Directory
The Mental Health Program Directory provides a single place for North Dakota citizens to search for mental health services that meet their needs. This registry allows users to: Search by location and other details View program information, including program name, address, and phone number.
Public Behavioral Health Clinics
North Dakota's Health and Human Services agency operates eight regional human service centers that provide behavioral health services to North Dakotans. Each center serves a designated multi-county area.
Minor in Possession (MIP) Education Program
Early intervention is an important piece of the behavioral health continuum of care and helps to reduce the risk of harmful behaviors such as drug and alcohol use. Research shows that individuals who start drinking before the age of 15 are four times more likely than individuals who start drinking at the age of 21 to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder at some point in their lives.