Summer safety for all the family

Stay-safe tips for you and your kids

A dad riding his bike with his toddler in the carrying seat behind him… neither is wearing a helmet and dad’s juggling his cellphone with one hand and steering the bike through the crowded grocery store parking lot with the other. Three teenage boys jumping from the cement ground on their skateboards onto a rickety wood picnic table outside a closed café and doing mid-air flips off the picnic table… none of them are wearing any protective gear. Unfortunately, these types of activities seem to be far more common than people playing it safe.

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), the most recent statistics from the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicate that there were an estimated 319,000 sports-related head injuries treated in US hospital emergency rooms in 2006, an increase of 10,000 injuries from the year before.

The growing popularity of powered recreational vehicles, such as ATVs, has contributed to many injuries – especially in children, who are often riding unattended by an adult and not wearing helmets. The CPSC reports the following real-life, tragic incidents: a 16-year old boy tried to jump his ATV over a ditch, crashed and landed on large boulders. He wasn’t wearing a helmet and died from his head injuries. A 14-year old boy crashed his ATV and died from a skull fracture in the ER – again, no helmet. An 11-year-old girl crashed her go-cart and died from massive head injuries.

And aside from head injuries, an estimated 11,000 people sustain spinal cord injuries (SCIs) every year in the US. Diving accidents are among the top five causes of SCIs, and sporting and recreation-related accidents in general, contribute to a large number of these incidents among young people and children. The following are the top 10 sports and recreation-related activities contributing to head injuries in 2006:

• Cycling 65,319
• Football 34,638
• Powered recreational vehicles (for example, ATVs, go-carts, mini bikes) 28,585
• Basketball 25,788
• Baseball and softball 23,125
• Water sports (diving, surfing, swimming) 16,060
• Skateboards/scooters: 15,978
• Soccer 15,208

Many of these injuries are preventable by following simple safety precautions. By taking a minute or two to use your head, you can help prevent potentially life-altering and tragic consequences. The AANS offers the following injury prevention tips…

For head injury prevention

• Buy and ensure your child uses a helmet or protective head gear approved by the ASTM for specific sports 100% of the time.
• Make sure he wears appropriate clothing for the sport.
• Don’t allow him to participate in sports if he’s ill or very tired.
• Discard and replace sporting equipment or protective gear that is damaged.
• Tell him to never slide head-first when stealing a base.
• Teach him to obey all traffic signals and be aware of drivers when cycling or skateboarding.
• Warn him to avoid uneven or unpaved surfaces when cycling, skateboarding, or in-line skating.
• Supervise younger children at all times, and don’t let them use sporting equipment or play sports unsuitable for their age. Do not let them use playgrounds with hard surface grounds.
• Perform regular safety checks of sports fields, playgrounds and equipment.

For spinal cord injury prevention

• Do not dive in water less than 9 feet deep or in above-ground pools. Check the depth – and check for debris in the water before diving.
• Follow all rules and warning signs at water parks, swimming pools, and public beaches.
• If your child is on the football team ensure his coach is providing exercise and guidance to help him precondition and strengthen his head and neck muscles.
• Proper football blocking and tackling techniques must be taught and followed.

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