California Injury Blog
Parents are constantly on the look out for how to keep their children safe. Kids, on the other hand, believe themselves to be brave and unstoppable, and often make daring moves that end in minor injuries. Sometimes, more serious brain injury results from a variety of situations children are involved in. Parents can consider the following to help avoid accidents that cause brain damage.
Remember to teach your children how to act around or inside vehicles. When crossing streets, talk about the steps of stopping, looking both ways before crossing, and using crosswalks. Teach them to be aware of their surroundings, especially the actions of nearby vehicle. Inside cars, babies and young children must be harnessed in car seats, and older children must wear their seatbelts. Before operating the vehicle, make sure everyone is “strapped in.”
Make sure your child has a properly fitting helmet, as head injury commonly occurs in bike or rollerskating accidents where a person does not have appropriate head protection gear. Teach your child the importance of always wearing his or her helmet when he partakes in activities like riding a bike, skateboard, or horse, playing sports that require helmets, and when involved in snow sports. Avoid allowing your child to ride on motorcycles, snowmobiles, or all-terrain vehicles that provide little physical protection and are used off-road.
Traumatic brain injury can also be prevented by keeping one’s house in safe condition. With young children around, consider blocking stairways so they can only be used with adult supervision. Make sure there is always a clear path in the house so there is nothing to trip over. Keep children well attended, especially when they spend time in high places like on bunk beds, or backyard playgrounds. Check often to make sure your backyard playground is in good condition and make repairs as necessary. Keep all dangerous materials, including firearms and bullets, locked away, out of your child’s sight and mind.