What, the Helmet?!

Ask the Experts by Janet S. Reed, PhD, MHA, ABPP-CN

Q: How can I get my child to wear protective head gear when riding his bike without a fight!

A: The next time your child or teen complains about wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, or rollerblading, think twice about giving in.  Now that spring and summer are nearly upon us, kids are getting out and becoming active. Approximately 70% of children in the United States ride bicycles, with only about 41% of those riding bicycles wear helmets. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of a head injury by as much as 85%.

Children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to long-term consequences of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury due to the continuing development of their brain. While most concussions and mild traumatic brain injury symptoms abate without problems in a few weeks or months, a small minority experience continued problems which affect learning. Moderate and severe traumatic brain injuries can result in more significant, lifelong disabilities. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Injury Prevention Center recommends 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.

Additional recommendations from the National SafeKids Campaign for bicycle safety:

• Make sure your child has the right size helmet and that he wears it every time when riding, skating or scooting.
• Inspect bicycles, scooters and skateboards to ensure that reflectors are secure, brakes work properly, gears shift smoothly and tires are tightly secured and properly inflated.
• Actively supervise children.
• Avoid riding bikes, skateboard or scooters in and around cars.
• Practice bike safety: learn the rules of the road, wear reflective clothes and stickers and ride on sidewalks when possible.
• Maintain equipment properly.

And don’t forget the most influential method of prevention – Role modeling. Of those children who reported always wearing a helmet while bicycling, their parents were more likely to:

• Believe helmet use to be important;
• Wear helmets themselves; and
• Have talked to their children about wearing helmets.

Research comparing states with and without mandatory helmet laws indicates that jurisdictions with bicycle helmet laws have significantly lower rates of brain injury related to bicycling. Though there is no mandatory helmet law in Michigan for cyclists, there is nothing to prevent parents from making helmet use “the law” in their home.  So, next time your child or teen takes to the wheels (bicycle, skateboard, etc.), make sure they take that helmet.

Resources for Helmet and Bicycle Safety and Proper Helmet Use

National SafeKids Campaign

National Highway Safety Traffic Administration

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Injury Prevention Center

Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute

Cleveland Clinic has several tips for buying helmets http://my.clevelandclinic.org/healthy_living/safety/hic_bicycle_helmet_safety.aspx

Dr. Reed is a pediatric neuropsychologist and clinical child psychologist with over 20 years of experience and a member of The Family Center’s Association of Professionals.  She is a Senior Staff Neuropsychologist at Henry Ford Behavioral Health Division of Neuropsychology and Director of Clinical Programs in the multidisciplinary Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities. She sees patients at four locations in Detroit and West Bloomfield. Dr. Reed can be reached at 313-876-2526. To learn more about services visit http://www.henryford.com/body.cfm?xyzpdqabc=0&id=47822&action=detail&ref=155 or just www.henryford.com.  Reed is a member of The Family Center’s Association of Professionals.

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Author contact info:
Janet S. Reed, PhD, MHA, ABPP-CN
Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist
Henry Ford Behavioral Health Services
Assistant Clinical Professor
Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences
School of Medicine
Wayne State University
Maximizing Each Child's Potential
http://www.henryford.com/physwebpage.cfm?id=40510&action=display&ref=162
Tel. 313-876-252, Fax. 313-876-2279