Period Management

Disclaimer: This information sheet is for education purposes only. Please consult with your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

As with all self-care tasks, the ability to manage periods after an acquired brain injury will depend on the young person's pre-injury experience and level of physical and cognitive difficulties following the injury.

The onset of menstruation can be a challenging time for the young person with an acquired brain injury and their family.

Sometimes after an acquired brain injury, the following may happen:

• period onset may be earlier than expected
• the re-establishment of regular periods may take some time.

Who can provide information and support?

If there are concerns about period management, it is advisable to discuss these, in the first instance, with the young person's local doctor. He/she may then suggest raising the issue with the child's rehabilitation doctor. At times, medical intervention may need to be considered (for example, if periods are irregular or very heavy). Another professional who may become involved is the occupational therapist.

What is the treatment?

Preparation is important so that the young person has an opportunity to practise the skills she will need to use during period time. Strategies used would need to address the ongoing physical and cognitive difficulties that the young person is demonstrating. For example, repetition of steps and use of prompt sheets may be useful for the young person with significant memory, planning and organisational difficulties. Difficulties with upper limb coordination may mean trialing a variety of pad options to determine which is the most suitable.

Bookshops have a variety of useful books on periods/menstrual management. Make sure the book is written at a level suitable for the young person's intellectual level. Your child's doctor or occupational therapist can assist in making recommendations for useful books or resources.

Rehabilitation Department The Children's Hospital at Westmead Cnr Hawkesbury Rd & Hainsworth St, Westmead Locked Bag 4001, Westmead, 2145 Tel: (02) 9845 2132 - Fax: (02) 9845 0685 http://www.chw.edu.au/rehabilitation/