2. Epidemiology and Long-Term Outcomes

Acquired Brain injury (ABI), particularly of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) type, is one of the leading causes death and lifelong disability in North America, particularly in children and adolescents (Greenwald et al., 2003; Thurman et al., 1999). In Western developed countries incidence figures for TBI are estimated to be at around 250-300 per 100,000 population (Campbell, 2000; Liss & Willer, 1990). It is estimated that the annual incidence of TBI in the United States is 1.5 million (Thurman et al., 1999). In Ontario, the Ontario Brain Injury Association (2004) estimates that the total annual number of brain injuries is over 18,000 with nearly 4,000 annual injuries occurring in the pediatric population alone (0-14 years). It is believed that due to the potential damage caused by the primary and secondary insults to the brain, no two head injuries are neuropathologically alike (Liss & Willer, 1990).