"Head" Safely into Spring

With warm weather right around the corner, streets and sidewalks soon will be filled with tikes on bikes. It is fun to see the joy our small cyclists exude as they pedal away, but we cannot forget about the serious risks associated with bicycling.

The number of bicycle injuries is considerable. According to 2010 annual data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, roughly 275,000 children suffered bicycle-related injuries and 26,000 of these were traumatic brain injuries treated in emergency departments. Those at highest risk of such injury are children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. Falls and collisions with a fixed or moving object are the most common causes of injuries. Of course, the most grave injuries and fatalities are caused by collisions with motor vehicles. Surprisingly, these usually occur within one mile of the bicyclist’s home.

There are many factors that parents cannot control when it comes to their child safely riding his or her bike, but wearing a bicycle helmet is a vital first step. Several studies, including one from the Cochrane Injuries Group, show that bicycle helmets reduce the risk of head and brain injuries by 63% to 88% in bicyclists of all ages.

Correct helmet fit and positioning is paramount to bicycle safety, yet the majority of children and teens wear helmets incorrectly. Studies have revealed that children with poorly fitting helmets had nearly two times the risk of head injury in a crash compared to those who wore properly fitted helmets. When a helmet is worn tipped up and backwards - rather than correctly aligned– there is a 52% increase in the risk of head injury during a bicycle crash.

Tips for Fitting your Child’s Bike Helmet

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, a properly fitting bicycle helmet should rest slightly above the eyebrows and not slide around on the head. A helmet should be worn so that it is level on the head, not tipped forwards or backwards. The straps of the helmet should form a “Y” that meets immediately under the child’s ear. The strap should be securely fastened, and you should not be able to move the helmet in any direction. Yet, the chinstrap should be snug enough to pull down on the helmet when the child opens the mouth wide.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has established federal safety standards regarding bicycle helmets.  All CPSC approved helmets have a CPSC sticker on the inside liner. Any other helmet should not be used for your child.  Any helmet that has been in a significant crash should be discarded. (Significant crashes include those in which the helmet hits a hard surface or when secondary marks are left on the helmet shell after a collision.) Regardless, helmets older than five years should be replaced given the concern of potential wear and tear.

Massachusetts law states that any child 16 or under riding a bike or using inline skates, a scooter or a skateboard has to wear a helmet. Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates provides bike helmets for children (patients and non-patients) for $10.00 each. Visit any of Harvard Vanguard’s 14 pediatric offices to buy a helmet. To find the office nearest you, please go to our website.

About Dr. Eileen Granahan

Dr. Eileen Granahan is a pediatrician at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates’ Quincy site. She received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York and completed her pediatric residency at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Her medical interests include preventative medicine and treating children of all ages.