Understanding Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in Children and Adolescents
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) refers to any injury to the brain that occurs after birth and is not related to a congenital or degenerative condition. ABI can affect children and adolescents at any stage of brain development, often resulting in complex and long-lasting changes to learning, behaviour, emotional regulation, communication, and everyday functioning.
Unlike conditions that are present from birth, ABI can represent a sudden and life-altering change for a young person and their family, requiring carefully tailored, compassionate, and evidence-informed support.
Causes of Acquired Brain Injury
ABI may result from both traumatic brain injury and non-traumatic brain injury, each with different mechanisms but often overlapping outcomes.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by an external force to the head and may occur as a result of:
- A road accident
- Falls or sporting injuries
- Assault or physical trauma
- A significant head injury
Non-traumatic brain injury occurs due to internal factors that disrupt brain function, including:
- Anoxic brain injury, where the brain is deprived of oxygen
- Reduced oxygen supply due to drowning, choking, or medical emergencies
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Stroke, infection, tumour, or complications during surgery
Regardless of cause, ABI can significantly interfere with how the brain processes information, manages emotions, controls impulses, and copes with sensory input.
ABI and Brain Development
Because children’s brains are still developing, an acquired brain injury can disrupt critical stages of brain development. Skills that were previously automatic may need to be relearned, while new developmental milestones may become harder to achieve.
Common challenges following ABI may include:
- Difficulties with attention, memory, and processing speed
- Reduced emotional regulation and increased impulsivity
- Fatigue and cognitive overload
- Changes in behaviour, personality, or social understanding
- Difficulties with learning and participation at school
These challenges often fluctuate over time and across environments, which is why structured, preventative approaches are essential.
Why ABI-Informed Training Matters
Effective support for children and adolescents with acquired brain injury requires more than general behaviour management strategies. ABI training equips parents, educators, and professionals with the knowledge and skills to understand why behaviours occur and how to respond in ways that promote safety, regulation, and recovery.
A Positive Behaviour Support approach recognises that behaviours of concern are often expressions of unmet needs related to cognition, sensory processing, emotional regulation, or fatigue following brain injury.
This course supports participants to:
- Understand the functional consequences of ABI across home, school, and community settings
- Apply brain-based strategies that reduce cognitive and emotional load
- Create predictable, supportive environments that prevent escalation
- Develop meaningful, measurable learning outcomes linked to participation, independence, and wellbeing
Supporting Positive Outcomes After Brain Injury
Children and adolescents living with ABI can make meaningful progress when supported with consistent, compassionate, and rehabilitation-focused strategies. By better understanding the effects of acquired brain injury, including traumatic and non-traumatic causes, caregivers and professionals can move beyond reactive responses and towards proactive, preventative support.
This ABI training course provides the tools to translate clinical understanding into practical action, empowering you to support young people in rebuilding skills, confidence, and quality of everyday life following brain injury.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Training
What is Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in children and adolescents?
Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) refers to damage to the brain that occurs after birth and is not caused by a congenital or degenerative condition. It can result from accidents, falls, sporting injuries, strokes, infections, oxygen deprivation or other medical events. Because children's brains are still developing, an acquired brain injury can affect learning, memory, attention, communication, emotional regulation and behaviour in ways that change as they grow. The effects vary depending on the nature, location and severity of the injury. Our ABI online training course helps parents, educators and professionals understand these neurological differences and develop practical Positive Behaviour Support strategies tailored to each child's needs.
What is the difference between traumatic and non-traumatic acquired brain injury?
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when an external force damages the brain, such as during a road accident, fall, sporting injury or physical assault. Non-traumatic Acquired Brain Injury results from internal medical events, including stroke, infection, brain tumours or a lack of oxygen reaching the brain. Both forms of ABI can affect cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, communication, behaviour and everyday independence. The nature and severity of these effects depend on many factors, including the areas of the brain affected and the child's stage of development. Our training explores both traumatic and non-traumatic brain injuries and how Positive Behaviour Support can be adapted to the young person's individual functional abilities.
How does an acquired brain injury affect a child's behaviour and personality?
An acquired brain injury can affect areas of the brain involved in emotional regulation, impulse control, decision-making, social understanding and behaviour. Following an injury, some children may become more irritable, impulsive, emotionally sensitive, withdrawn or easily overwhelmed. They may struggle to manage frustration, understand social situations or respond flexibly to unexpected changes. These differences can sometimes be misunderstood as deliberate disobedience or a change in personality. Our Positive Behaviour Support training helps adults recognise how neurological changes can influence behaviour and develop compassionate, structured strategies that reduce distress, improve communication and support positive relationships.
Why might a child become aggressive or emotionally overwhelmed after a brain injury?
Some children and adolescents experience increased emotional outbursts, aggression or frustration following an acquired brain injury. These behaviours may be associated with difficulties regulating emotions, processing information, controlling impulses or communicating needs. Fatigue, pain, sensory overload, unexpected changes and demands that exceed the child's current abilities may also contribute. Rather than viewing these responses as intentional misbehaviour, Positive Behaviour Support encourages adults to investigate the circumstances contributing to distress. Our ABI training teaches practical strategies for recognising early warning signs, reducing environmental triggers, responding calmly to escalation and developing personalised Behaviour Prevention and Behaviour Response Plans.
How does brain injury fatigue affect children's learning and behaviour?
Fatigue is a common and sometimes overlooked consequence of acquired brain injury. Children may experience cognitive fatigue, physical tiredness or reduced capacity to concentrate after activities that previously required little effort. As fatigue increases, they may become irritable, forgetful, overwhelmed or less able to manage emotions and follow instructions. This can affect school participation, social relationships and everyday routines. Our training explores how adults can recognise signs of cognitive overload and adapt expectations by providing regular breaks, simplifying tasks, reducing unnecessary stimulation and balancing activity with recovery. Understanding fatigue can help prevent behaviours of concern and support more successful participation throughout the day.
How can acquired brain injury affect memory, attention and executive functioning?
Acquired brain injury can affect executive functioning, the mental processes involved in planning, organising, remembering information, controlling impulses and completing tasks. Children may struggle to follow multi-step instructions, remember routines, manage their belongings, shift between activities or anticipate consequences. These difficulties can sometimes appear inconsistent, with a child successfully completing an activity one day but finding it difficult the next. Our course explains how cognitive changes influence behaviour and introduces practical strategies such as visual prompts, structured routines, simplified instructions, task breakdowns, additional processing time and consistent support. These adjustments can reduce frustration while helping young people develop confidence and independence.
How is acquired brain injury different from ADHD, autism or intellectual disability?
Acquired Brain Injury, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability can involve overlapping difficulties with attention, communication, learning, emotional regulation or social understanding. However, ABI results from damage to the brain occurring after birth, whereas ADHD, autism and many intellectual disabilities are developmental conditions. Children with ABI may experience a loss of previously acquired skills or develop new difficulties as they encounter increasing developmental demands. Some children may also have a pre-existing neurodevelopmental condition alongside an acquired brain injury. Our training explores these similarities and differences, emphasising the importance of individual assessment and support strategies based on functional abilities rather than diagnostic labels alone.
What Positive Behaviour Support strategies work best for children with ABI?
Effective Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies for children with Acquired Brain Injury focus on understanding the neurological and environmental factors influencing behaviour. Approaches may include predictable routines, clear communication, reducing cognitive demands, adapting sensory environments, providing additional processing time and supporting emotional regulation. Children may also benefit from visual reminders, structured activities, positive relationships and opportunities to practise new skills. Our ABI online course introduces the Assess, Manage and Prevent framework, helping participants identify individual triggers, develop Behaviour Prevention Plans and respond constructively to behaviours of concern. The aim is to create supportive environments that promote safety, participation, independence and quality of life.
How should parents and carers respond to emotional outbursts after a brain injury?
When a child with acquired brain injury becomes emotionally overwhelmed, adults should prioritise safety, remain calm and avoid escalating the situation through arguments, repeated instructions or unnecessary demands. The child may be experiencing cognitive overload, frustration, fatigue, sensory distress or difficulty communicating their needs. Providing space, reducing stimulation, simplifying communication and allowing time for recovery can help. Once the child is settled, adults can explore contributing factors and consider adjustments that may prevent similar situations. Our training teaches parents and carers how to recognise stages of behavioural escalation, develop individualised response strategies and support emotional regulation through consistent, compassionate interactions.
Can Functional Behaviour Assessment help understand behaviours of concern after brain injury?
Yes. Functional Behaviour Assessment (FBA) provides a structured way to understand why particular behaviours occur and what factors may be contributing to or maintaining them. For children with Acquired Brain Injury, an FBA may consider memory difficulties, cognitive fatigue, sensory sensitivities, emotional regulation, communication needs, environmental demands and social interactions. Information is gathered to identify patterns, triggers and possible functions of behaviour. Our course teaches participants how to conduct or contribute to a Functional Behaviour Assessment, including collecting behaviour data and developing hypotheses. The findings can then inform personalised Behaviour Prevention and Behaviour Response Plans that support safer, more positive outcomes.
What strategies can families use to support a child with acquired brain injury at home?
Families can support children with Acquired Brain Injury by creating predictable routines, simplifying everyday tasks, providing visual reminders and recognising when additional rest or assistance is needed. Breaking activities into manageable steps, allowing extra processing time and maintaining calm communication can help reduce frustration. Children may also benefit from consistent expectations, opportunities to make choices and structured support for developing emotional regulation and independence. Our Positive Behaviour Support course helps parents and carers identify environmental triggers, adapt household routines and teach replacement skills. It also emphasises collaboration with rehabilitation professionals and other support providers to ensure strategies are appropriate for the child's changing needs.
How can teachers support students with acquired brain injury in the classroom?
Teachers can support students with Acquired Brain Injury by understanding how changes in memory, attention, processing speed, fatigue and emotional regulation may affect learning and behaviour. Practical classroom adjustments include providing visual instructions, breaking tasks into smaller steps, allowing additional processing time, reducing distractions and scheduling regular breaks. Some students may also require modified workloads, flexible participation arrangements or additional support with organisation and transitions. Our ABI training helps educators develop predictable, low-arousal learning environments and understand how Functional Behaviour Assessment and Positive Behaviour Support can improve engagement. Collaboration between schools, families and rehabilitation professionals is particularly important when planning individualised educational support.
Can children recover lost skills and regain independence after an acquired brain injury?
Children and adolescents can often make meaningful progress following an acquired brain injury, although the extent and rate of recovery vary considerably. Some skills may improve through rehabilitation, practice and natural recovery, while other difficulties may persist or become more apparent as developmental expectations increase. Support may involve relearning previously acquired skills, developing alternative strategies or adapting environments to accommodate ongoing difficulties. Our course explores how Positive Behaviour Support can complement rehabilitation by teaching communication, coping, emotional regulation and everyday living skills. A strengths-based, individualised approach helps young people build confidence and participate as independently as possible while recognising that some may continue to need assistance.
Does Positive Behaviour Support replace medical treatment or brain injury rehabilitation?
No. Positive Behaviour Support is a practical framework for understanding and responding to behaviours of concern, but it does not replace medical treatment, neurological assessment or specialist brain injury rehabilitation. Children with ABI may require coordinated support from doctors, neuropsychologists, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, physiotherapists and educational professionals. Our online training helps parents, educators and support workers understand the behavioural and functional consequences of brain injury and implement appropriate day-to-day strategies alongside clinical care. The aim is to complement rehabilitation by creating supportive environments, reducing behavioural distress and promoting participation and quality of life.
Who should complete the Acquired Brain Injury Positive Behaviour Support online course?
Our Acquired Brain Injury online training is suitable for parents, carers, teachers, teaching assistants, disability support workers, behaviour support practitioners, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, social workers and other allied health professionals. It is particularly valuable for anyone supporting children and adolescents who experience cognitive, emotional, behavioural or communication difficulties following a traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury. No previous formal qualification in Positive Behaviour Support is required. The course introduces ABI and its effects on behaviour before progressing to Functional Behaviour Assessment, preventative support strategies, behaviour response planning and practical approaches that can be applied across home, school and community settings.
How much does the ABI online course cost, and what is included?
The Positive Behaviour Support Strategies for Children and Adolescents with Acquired Brain Injury online course costs $165 AUD per participant and is advertised as providing five hours of professional development training across six modules. The course is delivered online through Teachable and is self-paced, with 12 months of access from the date of purchase. Participants receive a certificate of completion after successfully finishing the training. Enrolment also includes an Amazon voucher for a complimentary Kindle copy of Positive Behaviour Support Strategies for Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) by Dolly Bhargava. Behaviour Help is a TQI and NESA accredited provider. NDIS funding may be available where applicable funding rules and eligibility requirements are met. For organisational invoicing or NDIS enquiries, email dolly@behaviourhelp.com.