Seasonal Prevention

CDC Prevention

Public Service Announcements (PSA's)

The Brain Injury Association of America defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as an acquired brain injury that is “caused by an external physical force that may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness.” The most common causes of TBI are vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries, and violence.

Concussions are a form of a traumatic brain injury, which accounts for 75% of ALL TBI’s. The true extent of brain injury is not conveyed by numbers. Lives, hopes, dreams, families, and friendships are often altered in the wake of a brain injury. Injury prevention is one of the most significant health care issues in the United States. Most brain injuries can be prevented. Each year 50,000 persons die from brain injuries and 80,000 to 90,000 people experience long term disability.

The Brain Injury Association of Michigan strives to further our mission of brain injury prevention through community education and public awareness campaigns. We offer fact sheets, which include up-to-date statistics on topics such as bike safety, falls, sports and recreation, violence, and transportation safety, and recommendations on how to prevent injuries from occurring. Unlike broken bones that mend, or cut or scraped skin that grows again, the brain cannot repair itself. It cannot grow new brain cells, called neurons, once they are damaged.

Help protect children from harm by following these selected seasonal safety facts from the Brain Injury Association of America’s, Seasonal Brochures:

Winter

• Children are most commonly injured when the sled hits something or gets out of control. Find hidden dangers of rocks or tree stumps hidden under snowy bumps by walking the slope with your child before the first run.
• Playing hockey without a helmet is dangerous. Blows from a puck or stick can injure a brain. Require your child to wear a helmet at all times when playing hockey. Check the effects of weather conditions and temperatures on outdoor ice before skating.
• Most skiers are hurt at the beginning and end of the day. Arrange for lessons to help how to ski or snowboard safely.
• Snowmobile riders are most often hurt by falling off snowmobiles during collisions. Know with whom your child is riding, their age, driving skills and safety habits.
• Children using safety belts are less likely to die or to be severely injured in a crash. Children learn from their parents. You set the best example for your child by always buckling upon every trip. Know when to use a safety seat or booster seat for your child.

Spring

• Bicycle incidents are most likely to occur within five blocks of home. Teach by example. A bicycle helmet is a necessity not an accessory.
• Baseball has the least amount of safety equipment required of any youth sport. Check that your child’s baseball helmet meets standards of the national Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment. (NOCSAE)
• Falls are the most common cause of playground injuries. Check the surface under playground equipment. Avoid asphalt concrete, grass and soil surfaces. Look for surfaces with shredded mulch, pea gravel, crushed stone and other loose surfaces.
• Two-thirds of all-terrain vehicle accidents have involved children under 16 years old. Model safe behavior by always wearing helmets with face protection and protective clothing.
• Brain injuries occur when skaters fall and hit their heads on the pavement.
  Wear a helmet for protection against falls.
• Brain injury is the leading cause of death among children hit by cars. Always stop at the curb or edge of the road; never run into the street.

Summer

• Most children who survive drowning are found within two minutes of being under water; most who die are found after 10 minutes or longer. Always supervise your child around water.
• Alcohol use is a leading factor in boating incidents and deaths. Stop your child from riding in a boat with anyone who has been drinking alcohol.
• A bicyclist who is wearing a helmet is less likely to die, be seriously injured or become disabled if hit by a car. Buy a helmet that meets the safety standards of ANSI , Snell, or ASTM. Tighten chin strap to keep helmets from slipping forward or backward. Only two fingers should fit under the chin strap Place the helmet directly over the forehead.
• Screens are designed to keep out bugs, not to keep in children. Install child safety window guards.

Fall

• Concussion is the most common consequence of brain injury in contact sports. Ask if coaches and other staff know the correct procedures for grading a possible concussion and have guidelines for removing a child from the game.
• Injuries from soccer sharply increase at age 14 due to more aggressive play and the heavier weight of players. Use the body and extremities, not the head, to hit the ball.
• During horseback riding, the most serious injuries are caused by being separated from the horse while riding or by falling with the horse. Be a role model, and always wear a riding helmet. Choose a horse that matches your child’s ability.
• Falls are the leading cause of injury on Halloween. Use face paint or cosmetics instead of loose fitting masks. Make costumes short enough to prevent tripping.
• Most children that are hit and killed by cars are playing in the street. Wait for the school bus in a safe place off the road. Walk facing traffi c if there is no sidewalk.

Prevention Info from the CDC

There are many ways to reduce the chances of a traumatic brain injury (TBI), including:

1. Wearing a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
2. Buckling your child in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (according to the child's height, weight, and age).
• Children should start using a booster seat when they outgrow their child safety seats (usually when they weigh about 40 pounds). They should continue to ride in a booster seat until the lap/shoulder belts in the car fit properly, typically when they are 4’9” tall.1
3. Never driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
4. Wearing a helmet and making sure your children wear helmets when:
   • Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or all-terrain vehicle;
   • Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing;
   • Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
   • Batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
   • Riding a horse; or
   • Skiing or snowboarding.
5. Making living areas safer for seniors, by:
   • Removing tripping hazards such as throw rugs and clutter in walkways;
   • Using nonslip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors;
   • Installing grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower;
   • Installing handrails on both sides of stairways;
   • Improving lighting throughout the home; and
   • Maintaining a regular physical activity program, if your doctor agrees, to improve lower body strength and balance.2,3,4
6. Making living areas safer for children, by:
   • Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows; and
   • Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around.
   • Making sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material, such as hardwood mulch or sand.5
7. There are many opportunities to raise awareness in your community about TBI. Below are some times of the year that may be opportune for drawing attention to a particular issue:
   • The week of Valentine’s Day is National Child Passenger Safety Week.
   • March is Brain Injury Awareness Month.
   • The fourth week of April is National Playground Safety Week.
   • December is National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month.

Schools are a great place to incorporate prevention efforts. The National SAFE KIDS campaign website and the National Program for Playground Safety website have plans for teachers and have student handouts about playground, motor vehicle, and sports and recreation safety.

• National SAFE KIDS Campaign Website
• National Program for Playground Safety Website

The ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation also offers TBI prevention and educational programs for young people.

• ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Warning on interaction between air bags and rear-facing child restraints. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report MMWR 1993;42(No.14):20–2.
Judge JO, Lindsey C, Underwood M, Winsemius D. Balance improvements in older women: effects of exercise training. Physical Therapy 1993;73(4):254–65.
Lord SR, Caplan GA, Ward JA. Balance, reaction time, and muscle strength in exercising older women: a pilot study. Archives of Physical and Medical Rehabilitation 1993;74(8):837–9.
Campbell AJ, Robertson MC, Gardner MM, Norton RN, Buchner DM. Falls prevention over 2 years: a randomized controlled trial in women 80 years and older. Age and Aging 1999;28:513–18.
Mack MG, Sacks JJ, Thompson D. Testing the impact attenuation of loose fill playground surfaces. Injury Prevention 2000;6:141–4.

Prevention on Television
* NOTE: Some videos may not be suitable for all ages. Viewer discretion is advised.

Click to View Video
9mb MPEG file, if you don't have Quicktime Player,
click here to download it.

The second PSA, Crying Mia, is offered in both a 90-second segmented format that should be used during commercial breaks in an hour-long television program, as well as a more traditional 60-second format. In both of these PSAs, the audience witnesses a father's growing frustration when his infant daughter does not stop crying. These compelling video PSAs will elicit unease in its viewers and leave the audience with the very clear understanding that even one incidence of shaking could result in permanent effects and even death for the infant/toddler.

Click to View Video

Click to View Video

If you see these please let us know what channel, city and time you saw these great new resources!