Newswise — Researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Columbus Children's Research Institute on the campus of Columbus Children's Hospital recommend four key safety guidelines—based on the results of several new studies—to help keep children safer during winter sports: --Enforce helmet use. The majority of serious injuries are to the head. Wearing a helmet is the most important—and easiest—way to increase safety in winter sports. --Scope out the route. In many of the studies, collision was the leading mechanism of injury. Parents are encouraged to walk the sled route to be certain there are no obstacles that could cause injury. --Avoid crowded areas. Collisions occur more often when activities take place in crowded areas. Parents should use common sense when evaluating safe space for their child to engage in the activity. --Supervise the activities. Though accidents can still happen when parents are supervising, parents are generally more adept in identifying dangerous scenarios. Additionally, they can assist in getting medical attention quickly should an accident occur. "Examining injury patterns among five different winter activities—skiing, snowboarding, sledding, ice hockey and ice skating—we identified that the number one injury is to the head and neck region," said Gary A. Smith, M.D., DrPH, pediatric emergency medicine physician at Columbus Children's Hospital, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy (co-author of all the studies) and associate professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health. "Many of the head and neck injuries we reviewed could have been avoided if the child was wearing a helmet. As the cold weather approaches, winter sports will become increasingly more popular among children, and it's important that parents are reminded of this important safety measure."
The importance of helmet use is demonstrated through four studies:
SLEDDING—"When we examined the circumstances for sledding-related injuries among children ages two to 18, we identified that the most common injuries were to the head and neck region, and only three percent of the children were wearing a helmet," said Smith. The results also showed that the most common mechanism of injury was collision with a stationary object. After an injury, reported helmet use increased.
ICE SKATING—A study comparing injuries among skateboarders, rollerbladers and roller skaters with injuries among ice skaters also determined the need for helmet use by children.
"Head injuries occurred more frequently when ice skating than other types of skating," said Jennifer McGeehan, M.P.H., project manager and researcher in the Center for Injury Research and Policy. "Though helmet use is most often recommended—and sometimes even required for some skating activities—a majority of the children in the study were not wearing protective equipment (helmet, elbow or knee padding) at the time of the injury."
SKIING & SNOWBOARDING—In a study that looked at fatal injuries among skiers, Huiyun Xiang, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., research faculty member of the Center for Injury Research and Policy and assistant professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health, found that traumatic brain injuries were the leading cause of death among child skiers between the ages of seven and 17 years. Collisions, most often with trees, were the leading mechanism of injury. A similar study comparing non-fatal injuries among skiers and snowboarders also found traumatic brain injury to be the leading cause of serious injury for both sports.
ICE HOCKEY—In a study comparing ice hockey injuries suffered by children versus adults, children younger than 17 experienced more overall injuries than adults. An upper extremity (arms, shoulders, hands) was the most common body region injured among young children, but head injuries were notably more common among young children than adults. "Our study found that as age increased, traumatic brain injuries decreased, suggesting that younger athletes are more susceptible to traumatic brain injury than older hockey players," said Xiang.
Columbus Children's ranks among the top 10 in National Institutes of Health research awards and grants to freestanding children's hospitals in the country and houses the Department of Pediatrics of The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health. With nearly 600,000 patient visits each year, Children's Hospital is a 112-year-old pediatric healthcare network treating newborns through age 21. In 2003, the Columbus Children's Research Institute conducted more than 300 research projects and is the home of Centers of Emphasis encompassing gene therapy; molecular and human genetics; vaccines and immunity; childhood cancer; cell and vascular biology; developmental pharmacology and toxicology; injury research and policy; biopathology; microbial pathogenesis; and biobehavioral health. Pediatric Clinical Trials International (PCTI), a site management organization affiliated with the hospital, also coordinated more than 50 clinical trials. In addition to having one of the largest ambulatory programs in the country, Children's offers specialty programs and services. More than 75,000 consumers receive health and wellness education each year and affiliation agreements with nearly 100 institutions allow more than 1,700 students and 500 residents to receive training at Children's annually. More information on Children's Hospital of Columbus is available by calling (614) 722-KIDS (5437) or through the hospital's Web site at http://www.columbuschildrens.com.
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