Common Products Causing Traumatic Brain Injury in Kids
Common, everyday products are the leading cause of 72% of traumatic brain injuries in children up to age 19.
A recent study released Monday, July 29 found that three-fourths of non-fatal TBI directly result from items found in the home.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a sudden trauma to the head causing damage to the brain, as caused by an injury such as a jolt or bump. The leading causes of head injuries in children and teenagers are falls and being hit by or against other objects. Traumatic brain injuries TBI cause a wide range of functional changes affecting thinking, language, learning, emotions, behavior, and/or sensation.
A child—depending on their age—may not verbalize their symptoms or otherwise help diagnose the potential TBI, which is why our attorneys take the time to educate parents on these type of injuries and support their efforts to seek early medical treatment.
"Our findings address an important gap... by identifying leading products and activities that contribute to traumatic brain injury in children and adolescents at different developmental age groups," said researcher Bina Ali. The Taylor & Francis Group published the study in the peer-reviewed journal, Brain Injury.
Researchers examined data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–All Injury Program (NEISS-AIP), with product information from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), for three years in 4.1 million non-fatal TBI in children and teens. 93.7% of injuries surveyed occurred accidentally, as opposed to assault.
Watch Out For These Items
The main causes of injury for young children resulted from home furnishings and fixures (17.2%), home structures and construction materials (17.1%), child nursery equipment (2.7%) and toys (2.1%).
- Uneven flooring: 1 in 10 cases of emergency room visits
- Prefabricated stairs
- Rugs
- Bunk beds
- Car seats
- Beds: top source of non-fatal TBI in infants and children up to age 10.
- Bicycles
- Scooters
- Tables
- Chairs
In young children, injuries stemmed from within the home, while outdoor and recreational activities affected children approximately 10 and older, particularly contact sports, such as American football and basketball. Recreation and sports-related injuries made up 28.8% of affected children/teens in the study.
How to Avoid Head Injury in Children and Teens
As a parent, it is not only important to identify if your child has suffered a TBI, but likewise important to take all possible measures to prevent your children from suffering a TBI. Researches recommend the following strategies to protect their children form potential injuries:
- Remove tripping hazards such as area rugs and floor pillows.
- Improve home lighting to increase visibility.
- Avoid hard-surface playgrounds.
- Partake of age-appropriate recreational activities, especially for younger children.
- Install stair gates at head and foot of stairwells.
- Install stairway handrails without sharp edges.
- Install stairs without sharp-edged steps.
- Purchase furniture without sharp edges.
- Ensure children & teens wear helmets for recreation activities.
- Avoid placing car seats on tabletops or chairs.
If Your Child Suffered a Brain Injury
If you or a loved one believe that a traumatic brain injury has occurred and you have questions, please contact Rubenstein Law today at 1-800-FL-LEGAL.
Here at Rubenstein Law, we take the time to evaluate all of our clients, especially our minor clients, who have been in an accident to identify whether they have suffered a traumatic brain injury. If a child shows symptoms of a TBI, we make sure to educate their parents about the severity of such an injury and counsel them to not hesitate to seek important medical care.
Read our TBI Attorney's guide to identifying head injuries in children.
DISCLAIMER: This post is intended to provide general information to our readers. None of the information contained in this post should be construed to constitute legal or medical advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and cases often turn on minor differences in fact. Do not rely exclusively on any of the information contained in this post. Always seek further assistance from a legal or medical professional where necessary.
