Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children
In my many years as a Nashville personal injury lawyer I have seen a number of cases wherein child victims of another’s negligence have suffered traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). My experience is mostly with children injured in automobile accidents, child pedestrians who are struck by cars or hit riding bikes. The majority of injuries caused by motor vehicle or bicycle crashes occurred when the child was not using a seat belt while riding in a car or a helmet when riding a bike.
In this blog I would like to educate parents about the number and kind of TBIs, what to look for and do if your child is injured and how to prevent injury or limit the damage.
Traumatic Brain Injuries In Children: The Numbers
Don’t get me wrong Traumatic Brain Injury in children is a major public health problem in the United States. Studies show that the overall incidence of TBI in children is 200 per 100,000 per year. Most of these injuries are minor by somewhere near 10 of these 200 children will die.
Based on research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of disability and death in children and adolescents in the U.S. At greatest risk are children in the 0-4 and 15-19 age group.
During a typical year the CDC estimates that 62,000 children sustain brain injuries requiring hospitalization as a result of motor vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries, physical abuse and other causes. During the same year over 550,000 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms and released. It should be noted that in the tragedy that is child abuse, upwards of 1,300 U.S. children experience severe or fatal brain trauma every year.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injury In Children
As we look at the numbers, parents should note that head trauma represents 80% or more of the traumatic brain injuries leading to death in children older than 1 year in the United States. Knowing what activities cause TBI can be helpful to parents in educating their children as to how to avoid such injuries. A recent study of more than 44,000 child patients in U.S. emergency departments who were treated for head injuries shows the following:
-Falls from any distance make up 27%
-Falls while standing, walking, or running 11%
-Collisions with a stationary object when walking or running were at 6%
-Motor vehicle crashes came in at 9%, and
-Bicycle crashes were in at 4%
As I mentioned above, a large number of injuries caused by automobile accidents or bicycle crashes occurred when the child was not using a seat belt (36%) or a helmet (72%). Among the 16% of patients in a motor vehicle crash who were diagnosed with a TBI, 52% were not using a seat belt. Of the 4% of bicycle crash patients with a TBI, 93% were not wearing a helmet. The lesson for parents is clear, buckle them up and teach them the importance of a well fitted and secure helmet.
Of particular interest are the findings that in children twelve and under the most frequent cause of traumatic brain injury were falls but for kids twelve and over we see that they are caused by assaults, motor vehicle accidents and sports injuries.
Head injuries fall into two categories; external (usually scalp) injuries and internal head injuries, which may involve the skull, the blood vessels within the skull, or the brain.
Fortunately, most head injuries, falls or blows to the head cause injury only to the scalp. Keep in mind that the scalp is an area of the body that is very rich with blood vessels. These external injuries can frighten a parent because, even a slight injury can bleed freely. An internal injury will often be more serious because it might well cause bleeding or bruising to the brain.
Seeking Medical Attention
I’m not a doctor and I will refrain from giving medical advice in this blog. You know your child and if you know or suspect that your child has sustained a head injury use your best judgment. Some internal head injuries can be serious and possibly life threatening. If you notice that your child is acting differently than usual you should contact your medical provider and tell them about what happened and how your child is acting and follow their advice.
As part of preparing for parenthood you might want to contact your local children’s hospital and get the emergency numbers for their burn, poison and head injury hotlines. For Nashville parents you can contact Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt by calling 615-936-1050
Preventing Head Injuries
Even the best intentioned parent will find it impossible to prevent their children from ever being injured, but the are important steps that can be taken to minimize the chance of injury. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has an in depth list of things that parents can do to protect their children from all sorts of injuries. I suggest that you take a minute and click on this link and educate your self. In the meantime make sure that:
– Your home is childproofed to prevent household accidents; (See link above)
– Your kids always wear the proper headgear and safety equipment when biking, in-line skating, skateboarding, snowboarding or skiing, and playing contact sports;
– Your kids always use a seatbelt or child safety seat;
– Your child takes it easy after a head injury, especially if there is a concussion
– Your child doesn’t go back to rough play or sports until the doctor says it’s OK. If your child re-injures the brain while it’s still healing, it will take even longer to completely heal.
Conclusion
Like everything in life safety comes from planning and preparation. Educate yourself on issues related to childhood safety, prepare your home and teach your children how to be safe. Practice safety as part of your everyday life. For more information on the subject of traumatic brain injuries in children check out these links for the Brain Injury Association of America and Children’s Hospital.
