Newswise — When winter weather strikes, children and adolescents are at greater risk for injury. Each year, Children's Hospital Boston treats numerous children and adolescents for injuries due to snow sports, motor vehicle crashes and other winter activities. Some of the worst injuries, often to the head or spine and resulting in paralysis or death, occur when children are not wearing helmets.
Pediatric surgeon David Mooney, MD, director of the Trauma Program at Children's Hospital Boston, sees these injuries firsthand. Dedicated to improving pediatric trauma care, his research investigates the causes and outcomes of accidents in children and adolescents, including trauma sustained while skiing, snowboarding, bicycling and driving or riding in cars. The data collected have provided a basis for accident prevention programs.
The Injury Prevention Program at Children's conducts many outreach programs aimed at preventing disabling injuries. Kristi Kangas, MSW, MPH, the program's community liaison, along with Dr. Mooney, recommend wearing a helmet while skiing, snowboarding and sledding to help reduce the risk of severe head or spinal trauma. Sledding feet first or sitting up on a steerable sled, instead of lying down head-first, may prevent head injuries.
For more information on Dr. Mooney:
http://www.childrenshospital.org/cfapps/research/data_admin/Site291/mainpageS291P0.html
For more on the Injury Prevention Program:http://www.childrenshospital.org/clinicalservices/Site2020/mainpageS2020P7.html
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