Glasgow Coma Scale – A standard system used to assess the
degree of brain impairment and to identify the seriousness
of injury in relation to outcome. The system involves three
determinants: eye opening, verbal responses and motor
response all of which are evaluated independently according to
a numerical value that indicates the level of consciousness and
degree of dysfunction. Scores run from a high of 15 to a low of 3.
Persons are considered to have experienced a “mild” brain injury
when their score is 13 to 15. A score of 9 to 12 is considered a
“moderate” brain injury and a score of eight or less reflects a
“severe” brain injury.
Habilitation – Process of providing specific learning experiences
for those persons with disabilities who have been isolated from
such experiences so they can become aware of and develop their
abilities and potentials.
Head Injury – Refers to an injury of the head and/or brain,
including lacerations and contusions of the head, scalp and/ or
forehead.
Hematoma – The collection of blood in tissues or space following
rupture of a blood vessel.
Hemorrhage – Bleeding that occurs following damage to blood
vessels. Bleeding may occur within the brain when blood vessels
in the brain are damaged.
Hypoxemia – An abnormally low level of oxygen in the blood.
When a patient’s arterial blood sample is measured and a low level
of oxygen is noted it is more appropriate to refer to hypoxemia
rather than hypoxia. Determination of hypoxia involves a much
more sophisticated evaluation of the patient.
Hypoxia – Insufficient oxygen reaching the tissues of the body.
Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – Hospital unit that utilizes highly
sophisticated equipment and specially trained physicians and
nurses to care for patients who are in such serious condition that
they must be continuously monitored.
Intensive Rehabilitation – An active, multi-disciplinary
rehabilitation program provided for several hours daily, using a
team approach. Focus is usually on skill development, rather than
on treatment of specific deficits.
Interdisciplinary Approach – A method of diagnosis, evaluation
and individual program planning in which two or more
specialists, such as medical doctors, psychologists, recreational
therapists, social workers, etc., participate as a team, contributing
their skills, competencies, insights, and perspectives to focus
on identifying the developmental needs of the person with a
disability and on devising ways to meet those needs.
Interpersonal Skills – The ability to relate to others in a socially
appropriate and meaningful way.
Intracranial Insult – Something that causes injury to the brain.
Includes hematomas (intraparenchymal and extraparenchymal;
immediate or delayed) elevations of intracranial pressure (ICP),
brain swelling, edema and vasospasm.
Lethargic – Awakens with stimulation; drowsy but awake.
Memory, Recognition – Ability to retrieve information when a
stimulus cue is presented. Free recall of the information is often
deficient if cues must be provided.
Mental Competence – The quality or state of being competent;
having adequate mental abilities; legally qualified or adequate
to manage one’s personal affairs. An individual found by a court
to be mentally incompetent has a guardian appointed to make
personal and/or economic decisions on their behalf.
Mental Disability – All of the recognized forms of mental illness,
severe emotional disorders, or mental retardation. Terms such
as neurotic, psychotic, and schizophrenic should be reserved for
technical medical writing only.
Mental Illness – A condition where there is loss of social and/or
vocational skills due to impaired thought processes or emotional
distress. Terms such as “mentally deranged”, “crazy”, “deviant” are
not used.
Metacognition – Insight into accurately judging one’s own
strengths and limitations, particularly with regard to cognitive
skills.
Mobility – Ability of an individual to move within, and interact
with, the environment, usually involving utilization of public and/
or private transportation, wheelchairs or ambulation.
Monoplegia – Paralysis of one arm or one leg.
Muscle Tone – Used in clinical practice to describe the resistance
of a muscle to being stretched. When the peripheral nerve to
a muscle is severed, the muscle becomes flaccid (limp). When
nerve fibers in the brain or spinal cord are damaged, the balance
between facilitation and inhibition of muscle tone is disturbed.
The tone of some muscles may become increased and they resist
being stretched - a condition called hypertonicity or spasticity.
Nasogastric Tube (NG Tube) – A tube that passes through the
patient’s nose and throat and ends in the patient’s stomach. This
tube allows for direct “tube feeding” to maintain the nutritional
status of the patient or removal of stomach acids.
Neurologist – A physician who specializes in the nervous system
and its disorders.
Neuropsychologist – A psychologist who specializes in
evaluating (by tests) brain/behavior relationships, planning
training programs to help the survivor of brain injury return to
normal functioning and recommending alternative cognitive and
behavioral strategies to minimize the effects of brain injury.
54 2020-2022 BIAK Resource Journal