According to the CDC, traumatic brain injury is the major cause of death and serious injury among children and adolescents in the United States. These injuries are mainly caused by car collisions, sporting accidents, falls and physical abuse. Young people should be instructed about the seriousness of head trauma, but it is easy to unintentionally scare younger children and inhibit their sense of play. Children are naturally curious about how their bodies work and can be shown basic diagrams about what happens to a brain during a concussion and why it's important to avoid this from occurring.
Parents can help children stay safe during physical activities that can put kids at risk for head injuries. Purchasing protective helmets and ensuring they fit properly should be the first step in outfitting a child for bicycling, skating, football or horseback riding. Parents should involve the child in this process and allow her to select headwear that she'll be more likely to wear. Adults participating in the sport alongside the child should also model smart practices and wear helmets as well. When watching professional sporting events, parents can point out the protective steps athletes take to prevent injury such as wearing head protection and using proper form to avoid falls and accidents.
Because children can't see the brain, they're often not sure what a head injury actually entails. Telling children about the risks of concussion and how to recognize the signs will help them feel more in control of protecting their heads. In a concussion the brain moves inside the skull severely enough to tear brain tissue, and the resulting damage may not be detected until much later. Protecting the front part of the brain from severe damage is key, and children should be aware of the symptoms of head injury such as vomiting, difficulty thinking clearly, persistent headache, weakness or numbness anywhere on the body. Although teachers and coaches are instructed in ways to prevent severe head trauma, parents should empower children to take charge of their own health and speak up if they experience any negative symptoms after a blow to the head or even a simple fall.
Because injuries to the brain can occur with no evident physical wound, children need to understand that, unlike broken bones, severe brain injuries cannot be repaired. In order to emphasize the importance of avoiding brain trauma, stress the amazing power of a healthy brain, rather than frighten children with what can go wrong during a traumatic head injury. Encourage children to explore the facts of the human brain. They’ll be interested to know that it would take them 3,000 years to count all the neurons in the brain and that electrical signals in one brain could power a light bulb. Using the Internet or researching at a library are ways children can educate themselves on the important role of the brain. Knowing that the brain is faster and more powerful than a supercomputer will give a child new respect for protecting this most critical of organs.