Children and the Dangers of Falls

We try our best to protect our children from accidents, but by their very nature accidents are sometimes unpredictable and beyond a parent’s ability to prevent. Of the injuries that children can sustain as a result of an accident, trauma to the brain is perhaps one of the most dreaded by parents.

Our fear is bolstered by the statistics, with traumatic brain injury being the leading cause of death and disability in children over the age of one. What, then, is the leading cause of serious brain trauma in children?

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found falls to be the leading cause of serious head trauma in children, with falls accounting for 77 percent of trauma to the head in children under the age of two, and 38 percent of cases of head trauma in children ages two to 12.

The study, which involved 43,000 children, did not look at milder forms of brain injury such as concussions, but only at injuries which caused bleeding in the brain. Half of the children in the study suffered several types of head injuries. Seventy-eight children in the study died, and of those who were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, 17 percent had to have brain operations; in 43 percent of the cases, more than one operation was performed.

In light of the statistics and these study results, what can parents do to help protect their children? According to the head researcher, the results indicated that both car and bicycle accidents were the cause of many of the more serious brain injuries. Of the children who suffered their injuries as a result of a car accident, less than half were wearing seatbelts, and less than 20 percent of the children who suffered their injuries while riding a bicycle were wearing bike helmets.

It’s important, then, to make sure your children are properly restrained when they’re riding in a motor vehicle. And when they’re riding on their bicycles, a proper bike helmet will help protect them against the consequences of an accident.

If you or a loved one have suffered from a personal injury as a result of someone else’s negligence, a competent attorney will help you get the compensation to which you are entitled. Robert Greening is the principal attorney at Greening Law, P.C. He has dedicated his 24 years of practice to the litigation of wrongful death and serious injury cases. If you have a question about a recall or injury, contact Greening Law, P.C. at 972-934-8900.