I've tried to do research on traumatic brain injuries, but not working in the medical field, I'm having difficulty understanding some of the terminolgy and procedures. I'd like to know how plausible my character's situation is and if there is anything I should add or take away:
One of my main characters (17 year old girl) is in a boating accident and suffers a traumatic brain injury. Scene is told from different POV so we only see the after effects of the injury.
This wound on her head requires stitching. I assume that they will shave her head, but I'm not sure if it's partial or full. Does it matter the location of the wound? I'd prefer for her to keep enough hair to cover up the injury location.
At some point, she goes into a coma. Would it be plausible for the doctors to self-induce the coma to repair damaged tissue and bone in her skull? I read that sometimes they do because the brain requires less oxygen in a coma situation and sometimes it helps survivability.
When she wakes from the coma (within 24 hours of arriving at hospital), she remembers things but not faces. She also forgot how to speak and needs to retrain herself how to talk. How long does it this process take? I was thinking about having her use one or two sylable words in dialogue and make the sentances as basic as possible. Are there certain vowels or constinents that she might avoid because they are harder to say?
Also, what medications or required therapy might she have to do after leaving the hospital. I currently have her in the hospital for 3 weeks. If everything is progressing well, how long until she can return to school?
One of my main characters (17 year old girl) is in a boating accident and suffers a traumatic brain injury. Scene is told from different POV so we only see the after effects of the injury.
This wound on her head requires stitching. I assume that they will shave her head, but I'm not sure if it's partial or full. Does it matter the location of the wound? I'd prefer for her to keep enough hair to cover up the injury location.
At some point, she goes into a coma. Would it be plausible for the doctors to self-induce the coma to repair damaged tissue and bone in her skull? I read that sometimes they do because the brain requires less oxygen in a coma situation and sometimes it helps survivability.
When she wakes from the coma (within 24 hours of arriving at hospital), she remembers things but not faces. She also forgot how to speak and needs to retrain herself how to talk. How long does it this process take? I was thinking about having her use one or two sylable words in dialogue and make the sentances as basic as possible. Are there certain vowels or constinents that she might avoid because they are harder to say?
Also, what medications or required therapy might she have to do after leaving the hospital. I currently have her in the hospital for 3 weeks. If everything is progressing well, how long until she can return to school?