St Andrew’s Healthcare

You are not alone
How St Andrew's Relatives' Support Group is helping to bring new levels of support to families affected by brain injury
A holistic perspective on Post-traumatic amnesia
Specialists at St Andrew's Healthcare explain how clients are supported through PTA
Post-traumatic amnesia in focus
Post-traumatic amnesia (PTA) relates to the time after a period of unconsciousness (although this is not always the case) following an acquired brain injury, when the injured person is conscious and awake, but due to their brain injury is behaving or talking in a bizarre or uncharacteristic manner. Specific symptoms of PTA are individual, but most commonly involve memory and orientation impairment. When combined with confusion, agitation, distress and anxiety, uncharacteristic and difficult to manage behaviours can manifest. These may include aggression, swearing, shouting, disinhibition, and wandering, which in the context of a trauma ward or general hospital setting, can be difficult or unsafe to manage.

You are not alone