Protect Your Head: Tips for Preventing Brain Injuries

As prevention is the only cure for traumatic brain injury, it is important to protect your head to prevent traumatic brain injury.

Fall Protection

Young Children - Children under 9 commonly suffer falls at home and at playgrounds causing traumatic brain injury. Some prevention tips:

• Supervision of young children
• Home safety improvements such as guards on windows, stair gates on stairs and screens around fireplaces.
• Inspect playground areas to make certain the equipment is properly maintained and there are soft landing surfaces below the playground equipment such sand or wood chips.
• Young children riding bicycles or using roller skates or skateboards should always wear a helmet.

Older Adults - Falls are the leading cause of injury deaths and hospitalization among adults 65 and older. Some prevention tips:

• Remove items from the home that can be tripped over.
• Install grab bars next to the toilet, tub or shower and non slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors.
• Improve lighting in the home.
• Put handrails and lights in all staircases.
• Wear shoes inside and outside the house. Avoid wearing loose slippers.
• Avoid medications causing sleepiness or dizziness.
• Eyes should be checked once a year.
• Begin an exercise program as physical activity and strength helps prevent falls.

Motor Vehicle Safety

Other than driving safely, certain strategy should be used:

• Safety belts should be worn.
• Vehicles should have frontal and side airbags.
• Avoid loose objects in the vehicle that can fly around during an accident.
• Children should always be in properly inspected car safety seats.

Pedestrian Safety

When a pedestrian is struck by a motor vehicle there is a good chance a traumatic brain injury will occur. Safety tips are:

• Obey all traffic signs and signals.
• Stop and look left, right and left again before entering a roadway.
• Never run across the street.
• Always use a crosswalk or corner.
• Always walk on the sidewalk.
• Make eye contact with all drivers that are stopped.

Shaken Baby Syndrome Prevention

Shaking a baby can cause a traumatic brain injury. These types of injuries are usually a result of abuse when a parent or caregiver is frustrated when a baby will not stop crying. These are tips:

• If the baby is crying check to make certain the child is not hungry, hot or cold, or sick or that the diaper does not need to be changed.
• If the baby continues to cry try rocking the baby, rubbing their back, singing or taking them for a walk in a stroller.
• When the caregiver feels overwhelmed place the baby in a safe place such as a crib.

Sports and Recreation

Helmets or headgear should be worn while participating in:

• Baseball and softball (when batting)
• Cycling
• Football
• Hockey
• Horseback riding
• Powered recreational vehicles
• Skateboards and scooters
• Skiing
• Wrestling
• Soccer - Helmets are not usually worn, but concussions can occur and the player should be removed.