Question:

Dear Kathy M.,

My brother, who is 50 years old, has regained consciousness after 5 weeks. He was in a snowmobile accident and hit a tree. He can sit up, but is still tube fed. At times he can mouth one-word answers to our questions, and he appears eager to get started with OT, PT, speech therapy and all the rest of it. I want to know if there is anything in the research about the value of adding alternative therapies to all the traditional approaches. I'm thinking about things like reflexology, hyperbaric oxygen treatments or even acupuncture. At this time there are no problems with the cost of his hospital care (he is in an acute rehab unit) in Wisconsin. Your insight would be appreciated.

Thank you.
Ginny

Kathy's Response:

Dear Ginny,

I am not a doctor so I cannot say what alternative therapies might be beneficial. I can tell you that families and persons with brain injury can tell you their personal stories and experiences with all of these things. I would start networking with these families - either by going to the national or your state's Brain Injury Association, or by joining some e-mail support and discussion lists for family members and persons with brain injury.

The national Brain Injury Association's web site can be found at www.biausa.org . That site will connect you to the Wisconsin Brain Injury Association.

Hope this helps.

Kathy M.