June is brain injury awareness month in Canada

We all love our children; we all want our children to be safe and secure!  We all want our children to reach their full potential and watch their little minds sparkle as they learn and grow!  June is brain injury awareness month I wanted to touch on the subject.  


The full impact of a childhood brain injury is very difficult to determine, since a child`s brain is still developing and growing.  I have heard that we grow into our brain injuries and often the full impact is not known for many years.  As we grow from baby to toddler, toddler to preschooler, preschooler to school age child and to adult; the damage can come to light.  


Did you know that approximately 20% of all brain injury ER visits occur in children under the age of 4?  And half of all brain injuries in children (under the age of 14) are due to falls?  Luckily as parents there are many things we can do to help prevent falls.  There is the obvious supervision, baby proofing, safe play areas and many more that we are all very aware of.  


Food for thought - the human skull is just one centimeter thick.  A properly fitted and correctly worn bicycle helmet can prevent up to 90% of serious brain injuries; any child who rides a bicycle, tricycle, wheeled toy, or in a trailer or a bicycle-mounted child seat should wear an approved and properly fitted bicycle helmet. (Skateboarders and in-line skaters should use a skateboard helmet which put more protection at the back of the head - who knew).

Did you know that there are special helmets for toddlers (under age five) that provide more protection at the back of the head.

Now I am no expert by any means - but there are a few things that I know about helmets.

1. The helmet should sit level and be snug all the way around (please do not buy a helmet that your child can grow into). Different brands come in different shapes and sizes, so you may need to try on several before you find the best fit. Helmets come with extra padding that can be added to the inside of the helmet. Your child may need extra padding at the front or the back of the helmet so that it fits correctly. If you child shakes their head and the helmet moves at all - it does not fit!)

The helmet should cover the top of the forehead and should rest about 2 fingers' width above the eyebrows. The side straps should fit snugly around your child's ears in a "V"shape. The buckles on the side strap should fit right under the ear. Buckle the chin strap. Until you can only fit one finger between the strap and your child's chin.

2. Helmets are not manufactured to fit children under one year old. Children younger than this do not have sufficient neck strength to support the weight of a helmet or to control head movement during a sudden stop. Occasionally toddler helmets will be too big to fit a small child over one year of age. Wait until the child grows big enough to fit into a toddler helmet or consult a professional about possibilities for proper fitting.

3. Bicycle helmets are designed for one fall. Any helmet that has been through a crash should be replaced even if it appears to have no damage. Just like car seats!

4. Bike helmets should be replaced after five years or a crash where the cyclist has hit their head or if they no longer fit properly.  

After 5 years, the plastics of the helmet dry out and may become brittle with age. Also, older helmets may not meet current safety standards.

Bike helmets are designed to protect your head against only one crash. After a crash in which the cyclist has hit his or her head, the foam inside the helmet is compressed. The helmet should be replaced, even if it does not look damaged.

5. Anything that could change the way your child's helmet fits should not be worn. Baseball hats, big hair clips and headphones should never be worn under a helmet. Ponytails should be worn low on the neck when wearing a helmet.

6. your child should never use a helmet that has missing parts. Make sure that all of the straps, adjusters and fasteners on your child's helmet are secure and are in working order. If the sliders or buckles on the side straps are loose, the helmet will not fit correctly and should not be worn.

7. Ready to get really particular? Every sticker has some type of adhesive to hold it on, and adhesives have solvents in them that aid the sticking process. These solvents may make the plastic of the helmet weak. Only allow your child to put stickers on her helmet if you know the adhesive is compatible with the plastic of the helmet. If you don't know, it's better to not put the stickers on the helmet.

If you take one thing away from this post - please don't be the person that says Helmets? We don't need a stinking helmet. Please provide your child with a properly fitted helmet. It is always better to be safe than sorry.