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3.4.10 | Brain Injury Awareness Month
March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month. Did you know that every 21 seconds, one person in the U.S. sustains a traumatic brain injury? And, of the 1.4 million people who sustain a brain injury each year in the U.S…
- 50,000 die
- 235,000 are hospitalized
- 1.1 million are treated and released from an emergency department
An estimated 5.3 Million Americans – a little more than 2% of the U.S. population – currently live with disabilities resulting from traumatic brain injury.*
This is a family issue. And, so during Brain Injury Awareness Month, we should all consider the steps we can take to protect our children’s heads.
Sports
Any time a child participates in a sport where their brain may be at risk, they should be encouraged to wear a helmet. Additionally, another safety precaution parents can enforce among their children is to wear a mouth guard during sports. The most important function of a mouth guard is in preventing concussions and brain injuries.
Bicycle Riding
Insisting that a child wear a helmet every time they are on a bicycle will protect their brain and help reduce the chance of getting into a fatal accident. It is suggested to replace a helmet over five years old as well as always after a crash. In addition, a bicycle helmet should fit snugly on the child’s head, and only two fingers should fit between the chin and strap.
Riding in a Vehicle
Motor vehicle crashes are a major cause of traumatic brain injury in all age groups. For children four to seven years old, belt-positioning booster seats reduce injury risk by 59% compared with seat belts alone. Playing in and around cars is dangerous and something parents should speak about with their children. In addition, parents should never leave a child unattended in a car.
Playground
There are many steps parents can take to protect their children on the playground, and the most important one is making certain there is supervision at all times. Most falls occur on the swings, monkey bars or climbers and slides. Adult presence is needed to watch for potential hazards and dangerous objects.
Suffocation
Children under one year old are the most at risk for unintentional suffocation due to choking or strangulation. Supervision plays a major part in preventing unintentional injuries. Educating ourselves on what everyday objects could cause harm to young children and then taking the proper steps to ensure safety can prevent head injuries and ultimately save lives.
Child Abuse
Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, and the physical consequences of shaking an infant or toddler are fatal. If the parent or caregiver feels they are losing control, they should put the child in a safe place and leave the room for a few minutes. After cooling off, go back and handle what’s going on with the child.
A head injury can change a life forever. Parents and caregivers need to understand the greatest risk factors for their children and take the appropriate preventive steps to reduce the risk of unintentional injury.