Think First Prevention Tips
• Inspect your child’s bike, making sure that it is
the correct size and safe to ride. Check for properly inflated tires and
effective brakes. A check-up with a bicycle mechanic is ideal.
• Wearing a helmet is a must! Purchase helmets that
meet or exceed safety standards by the Snell Memorial Foundation. American
National Standards Institute (ANSI), or the American Society for Design
and Materials (ASTM). The helmet should fit snuggly over the forehead with
the front about one inch above the eyebrows. No more than two fingers
should fit under the chinstrap.
• Acknowledge the importance of being seen by wearing
bright colors and attaching a safety flag to the back of the bike. If
night riding is necessary, use reflectors, a headlight and reflective
clothing.
• Teach the rules of motorists: go with the flow of
the traffic, not against it. Ride in single file and obey all traffic
signs, following the rules of the road. Schedule younger children in
bicycle safety programs.
Not insignificant is the relationship of brain injuries
to playground equipment. Falls onto hard surfaces from swings, slides, and
monkey bars can lead to brain injuries. Choose playgrounds that use wood
chips or sand, and always provide close supervision. As in water safety
– use the feet first rule. Children should always have feet
first on slides, not heads.
Finally, a few words about baseball, the number one
summer sport. Head injury is the number one associated risk. To prevent
injury, apply several of the key rules. Have your child slide feet
first (not head first) and wear a properly fitted helmet with a
chinstrap when batting. These practices should be put in place from t-ball
through high school programs.
If your child experiences a concussion – from
baseball or any other sport, remember these guidelines. All too often, an
injured child returns to play too quickly:
• If the concussion is not associated with a loss of
consciousness and the child has no symptoms
( i.e., loss of memory, fatigue, ringing in the ears, headaches, nausea,
vomiting, slurred speech, confusion, irritability, or dizziness) for one
week, he or she can return to play.
• If the loss of consciousness is less than five
minutes, the child may return to play after one week of having no
symptoms.
• If the memory loss is for more than 24 hours and
the child is unconscious for more than five minutes, the child should be
sidelined for at least a month.
These precautions are necessary. If a child has a
repeated concussion, it takes on a cumulative effect and can lead to more
serious brain damage as well as personality changes, impaired judgments or
poor performance in school. There is no cure for brain injury, only
prevention.
Submitted by Educational Services of