Times have changed since we were all kids, diving in to the shallow end of the pool, riding a bike on the dirt track with no gear, rollerskating with no helmets and do on. It is not that our parents did not care, it was that we did not really know better and if we did there certainly was not the gear available like it is today. I could not fathom letting my sons ride their bikes or go blading without at a minimum a helmet on.
It only takes a few minutes to strap on the gear and go and unlike problems in the past of being "thought a geek" by those not wearing safety gear, the bulk of the kids are wearing it. It is not expensive in comparison to the potential medical bills or sadly in some cases, a funeral and the life time of pain over the preventable loss of a child.
Any reputable sporting good store should have a staff willing to help you find the proper size for your children. Do not buy from places like Wal-Mart, K-Mart or similar discount stores. They tend to sell inferior products and they will not assist you in sizing your child properly, which is important. Having your kid wearing too small or big of a helmet can be as bad if not worse then no helmet at all.
The quality of the gear at discount stores also leaves something to be desired. For a few dollars more you can go to places like Dick's Sporting Goods or Big 5 where they will have a selection of the best gear and even their lower end products will be far superior to those of discount chains. You should also remember they make their names on the quality of what they sell and their services. Selling inferior gear that results in injuries due to shoddy craftsmanship is not something they want, they cannot afford it. While discount stores make their name on the quantity and low prices of what they sell. Since they sell so many different items a few faulty helmets is not going to set them back like it would a sporting good store.
Allowing your children to run and play is fine but for a few extra dollars and a bit more attention from Mom & Dad you can make sure that both the kids and your summer is the best one possible. Being able to minimize the risk of injuries is always a good thing.
Have a safe and happy summer.
Statistics Here
Injuries are a major source of childhood emergency department and hospital admissions. Accident statistics from the National Safety Council, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, and other sources tell us that:
* Injury is the leading cause of death in children and young adults. In 2001, 5,526 children died from unintentional injuries.
* Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury for children. Children ages 14 and under account for one-third of all fall-related visits to hospital emergency rooms.
* In 2002, nearly 300,000 children ages 14 and under were treated in the US for bicycle-related injuries. Nearly half (47 percent) of children ages 14 and under hospitalized for bicycle-related injuries are diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.
* Drowning is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages one to 14. The majority of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools and in open water sites. However, children can drown in as little as one inch of water.
* Airway obstruction injury is the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among infants under age one.
* Approximately 45 percent of unintentional injury deaths occurred in and around the home. Unintentional home injury deaths to children are caused primarily by fire and burns, suffocation, drowning, firearms, falls, choking and poisoning.
No comments:
Post a Comment