In this blog, we’ve previously discussed the many and adverse physical, mental and emotional side effects that may result after an individual suffers a traumatic brain injury. In a recent blog, we discussed how it can be especially difficult for children and their families to cope with the long-term side-effects that are frequently experienced in the wake of a TBI.
As children in the New York City area prepare to enjoy the warm summer months, many will likely play at nearby parks or playgrounds, go swimming at a pool and ride their bicycles. While all of these activities are fun and can be an excellent form of exercise, they also put a child at risk of suffering injuries, including TBIs.
Watch any toddler or young child play and you’re bound to witness a tumble and fall or two. Annually, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that roughly 2.8 million U.S. children are treated for fall-related injuries. This makes falls the “leading cause of injury for children” in the U.S and the leading cause of “serious head injury or trauma.”
For children age two to 12, falls are the cause of 38 percent of TBIs. For children under the age of two, more than three-quarters of head injuries stem from fall-related accidents. For a very small child, a fall off of a changing table or down a few stairs can easily result in a serious head injury that may effectively change a child’s life forever. For older children, a head injury may result if a child falls off of playground equipment or is hit by a motor vehicle while walking or riding a bicycle.
This summer and every other season, parents must take measures to protect their children from suffering falls. Small children must always be closely supervised and older children should be taught pedestrian safety rules and should always wear bicycle helmets.
Source: Herald Times Online, “Falls are the leading cause of injury for children, research says,” Mandy Morgan, June 14, 2015
