Heads up - Wellness & Lifestyle - SAFE KIDS Campaign check list for the prevention of children's head injuries - Brief Article

American Fitness, Sept-Oct, 2002

When we were children, most of us had scrapes and bruises from falling off our bikes--some of us even ended up in casts. Usually, those were the worst-case scenarios. However, a few unlucky children have suffered a more serious injury: head trauma. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become the leading killer and disabler of children. Each year, 3,000 children are killed and approximately 29,000 are hospitalized due to TBI. It is estimated that 75 percent of bicycle-related fatalities among children could be prevented with helmets.

"Kids need to know a head injury can happen to them. It can change the way they look, think, feel and impact their lives forever," says Heather Paul, Ph.D., executive director for the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. "We encourage parents to discuss the long-term consequences and risks associated with not wearing a helmet with their children."

To educate parents and their children about TBI, SAFE KIDS is offering a safety brochure (available in Spanish and English) that features lifesaving steps parents can take to protect their children from bicycle, scooter and inline skating-related injuries. A safety checklist is also available for parents to review with their children. To receive a free copy of the brochure and checklist, write to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, Dept. NSKW, 1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 1000, Washington, D.C. 20004. The checklist is also available at www.safekids.org.