We are hearing a lot more about the seriousness of head and brain trauma in the news recently. This is due in large part to the amount of concussions being sustained by NFL players and the new protocols the NFL has introduced to examine players who are suspected of suffering a concussion. It might surprise you to learn that a person suffers a traumatic brain injury in the United States once every 20 seconds. Every year, 1.5 million people in this country suffer injuries to their head. Of this total, more that 75,000 of these injuries cause damage that is permanent.
Experience makes a difference when it comes to preventing head trauma. Let’s take a look at some of the various causes of head trauma and what you can do to prevent them from happening to you:
1. Motorcycle/bicycle accidents
When a person suffers a fatal bicycle accident, 80 percent of the time it is because the person suffered injuries to their head. Only 20 percent of American children wear a helmet when they are riding their bicycle. Every year, 130,000 children suffer head trauma in bike accidents. Motorcyclists who do not wear a helmet are three times more likely to suffer head trauma than those who wear helmets. To prevent these injuries, you obviously need to wear a helmet that fits properly.
2. Falls for babies
To prevent a child from falling, never leave them unattended in the shower. You should also install baby safety gates in front of all stairways. Have window guards installed in your home and make sure windows are opened from the bottom.
3. Falls for seniors
Seniors should perform exercise on a regular basis to maintain their strength. Handrails and grab bars should be installed around the home, especially in the shower.
4. Sports
The best and most effective method of preventing head trauma while playing sports is to wear head gear. As with bike and motorcycle helmets, it is important that the head gear fits properly, otherwise it will lose some of its effectiveness.
5. Car accidents
Every person should wear a seat belt while in a car, even if they are in the back. Since this is the law in most states, this should not be a problem. Always put children in the back when they are riding in a rear facing car seat. An infant should never be placed in the front seat for any reason.
6. Falls due to ice
If you live in a cold climate and you frequently have ice form on your driveway or walkways, put down salt on a regular basis to melt the ice and allow you to maintain your traction and prevent falls from happening.
