What exactly is meant by the term "brain-injured"? Does this refer to brain damage caused by accidents or other trauma?

Children whose brain functions have been affected by head injuries or accidents are certainly considered to be brain-injured but they are not typical of what we mean when we use that term. When we speak of brain-injured children, we mean those children whose brains have been damaged through some form of trauma before, during or after birth or who are born with some form of congenital defect.

These children are severely handicapped because areas of the brain that control their senses or their abilities to communicate and move are damaged. For example, in Jenna's case, intense injury to her brain stem left her legally blind, unable to walk or talk and totally dependent on the care of others, although she could hear and respond to sounds.