Contributed by: Prerna Ladha, MD, and Anthony Zalewski, RN, BSN, MHA
Prevention Is Key
As a MetroHealth trauma surgeon, Prerna Ladha, MD, often sees what happens from a bicycle accident.
Beyond cuts, scrapes and facial lacerations are injuries that change a person’s life in an instant. Dr. Ladha and others at Northeast Ohio’s most experienced trauma center see various types of traumatic brain injuries.
“The most devastating injuries – often the ones that are most fatal – are in people who were not wearing a bicycle helmet,” said Dr. Ladha, Pediatric Trauma Medical Director at MetroHealth. Even without a head bleed or catastrophic injury, consider the impact of a concussion on various aspects of a child’s development and daily life.
Children who don’t wear a helmet while riding a bicycle increase their risk of severe head injury by three times more than helmeted children, according to the American College of Surgeons.
Lead By Example
It’s essential that adults model the type of behavior they want children to adopt, and that includes wearing a helmet every time you’re on a bike, said Anthony Zalewski, RN, BSN, MHA, MetroHealth’s Injury Prevention & Outreach Coordinator.
Often children don’t want to wear a helmet because their friends don’t wear one. “Children need to be taught about the seriousness of injuries,” Zalewski said. “They think it’s not going to happen to them.”
Helmet Safety Tips
- All children ages 1 and older should wear a helmet while riding bikes (including electric), scooters, skateboards or while sitting in an upright, on-the-bike child seat.
- Bring your child along when shopping. Letting your child pick out the color and style of the helmet goes a long way in helping them want to wear it.
- Check how it fits. Is it tight enough? Does it sit on the head without wobbling, slipping off or tilting, even when your child moves their head? Can your child move your head comfortably with the helmet on?
- If you’re purchasing a helmet online, measure your child’s head to determine the best size. If they are in between, go with the smaller size or add extra padding for a more secure fit.
- When your child’s hairstyle changes – switching up from tight braids or close cut to a fuller style, wearing a ponytail or pigtails, etc. – make sure the helmet is adjusted to ensure a snug fit.
- Where you buy the helmet, whether it’s a soft shell or hard shell, and the amount of padding it has doesn’t matter. What does matter is that it meets the standards of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Check for a CPSC label or sticker inside the helmet.
The Two-Finger Rule
- The helmet’s front rim should sit above two fingers placed flat on your forehead right above the eyebrows.
- Form a “V” around your ear using two fingers and adjust the helmet straps to follow the same path as your fingers.
- The helmet is tight enough when you can fit no more than two fingers between the chin and the fastened straps. The chin strap should be tight enough that when you open your mouth wide, the helmet should press down on the top of your head.
Do’s And Don’ts
- Don’t lend someone your helmet.
- Always wear a helmet, whether riding on a quiet neighborhood street, park paths and trails, sidewalks, or an empty parking lot.
- When not in use, store the helmet in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
- Replace your child’s helmet (and yours) if it’s more than 5 years old, it’s been involved in an accident or if it becomes too small.
- If a helmet is in good condition (not involved in an accident) and is less than 5 years old, it is safe to give away.
Be on the lookout for free family-friendly local events in the spring and summer months that promote bicycle safety. Some, like Metro West Community Development Organization’s annual Stockyard Bike-a-Thon (of which MetroHealth is a community partner) distribute donated bicycles and helmets to registered participants.
“While it is definitely a cost to the parents, helmets are relatively cheap,” Dr. Ladha said. “The cost of not wearing one is so much greater.”
