Brain Injuries in Children – How Do They Happen?
Everyone knows the joke: “I’m strange because I was dropped on my head as a baby.” But it’s no joke when a baby or a child hits her head hard.
How do brain injuries in children happen? Here are the five most common causes.
1. Falls. Kids are super active, so falls happen often. Not surprisingly, they are the number one cause of brain injury in children, second only to vehicle collisions.
2. Motor vehicle collisions. Keeping your child properly restrained by a seatbelt or a child safety seat helps, certainly, but she can still suffer a brain injury if her head is hit on a part of the car or by an object sent flying by impact.
3. Pedestrian and bicycle accidents. Teaching your child when she is young to look both ways before crossing the street and to always wearing a helmet when riding a bike is key. But, as we all know, children have not yet mastered decision- making skills and can be unpredictable in their actions.
4. Sports accidents. We want our children to learn the lessons they get from playing sports; however, they can suffer brain injuries from an unprotected fall or a tackle gone wrong.
5. Child abuse. It is unsettling that this is in the top five causes of such a serious child injury. There is evidence (although it is disputed) that shaking a child, especially a very young one, can cause serious damage to the brain.
Immediate and appropriate care can help a child’s possibility of a more significant recovery. For more in depth information on child brain injuries, click here.
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