Brain injuries are extremely serious medical events, responsible for a whole host of potential disabilities, diseases and conditions – and with, naturally, life-changing consequences for anyone unfortunate enough to suffer them. According to head injury charity Headway, there is a hospital admission for brain injury every three minutes in the UK, each one representing a life potentially altered forever.
It is understandable, then, that brain injuries in still-developing children can be all the more traumatic. With less protection from the potential for traumatic injury, and with a brain not yet fully formed, the consequences of a brain injury in a child can be catastrophic. What do you need to know about paediatric brain injury, and how can you safeguard your own children from the risks inherent to such injuries?
Understanding the Risks
In having children, you will already understand how difficult it is to manage their safety. Trips, bumps and falls are a part of everyday life, and shouldn’t be treated as more than they are. However, there are risks inherent to heavier falls or road accidents, wherein a bump to the head can yield significant damage.
The lower end of this spectrum is concussion, wherein a child may feel light-headed and confused for a short period of time after the accident. Further up the scale, a biking accident that ends in head injury could be the cause for a more serious Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), leading to hospital time, investigative procedures and potential disability.
Safety Measures at Home, School and Play
Naturally, prevention is the best form of cure when it comes to TBIs. At home, you can reduce the risk of serious head injury by covering sharp corners with foam, or even simply cleaning up so as to reduce the risk of trip hazards.
However, there are some environments where you have less control, such as at school or out in public. Here, the best forms of prevention relate to the safety gear you give your children, particularly when biking or engaging on some other sport. Helmets, knee pads and shin pads should be a new normal.
Education
Finally, and most importantly, knowledge is the most effective tool when it comes to preventing or managing paediatric brain injuries. For one, educating your children on the dangers of head injury can inspire them to be safer when at play. For another, educating yourself on the process for brain injury claims can make gaining compensation easier in the event that an accident does occur through no fault of your child.
In the event of such a brain injury, educating yourself on rehabilitation pathways and brain injury care can be essential to improving the quality of life for your child.
