Teaching your child to ride a bike is a rite of childhood, but even though bike riding is a lot of fun, accidents can and do happen. Every year, over 300,000 children in the U.S. find themselves in an emergency room because of bike injuries as of 2010. Some of these injuries are so serious that children die, usually from traumatic brain injuries that could have been prevented by helmets. Even a conscientious young person can suffer a severe fall from a bike, which is why it is so important to teach every kid to wear a helmet so their brain will be protected from the very real possibility of brain trauma.
Make Sure it Fits
It is important to select a bike helmet for your child that fits properly. A helmet that is too small or too big will not offer appropriate protection. Teach your child to not wear a hat under a bike helmet unless it has been designed to fit smoothly under a helmet as is the case for some winter biking hats. If you are having trouble adjusting the helmet properly, ask someone at a bike store to help you fit your child properly.
Helmet Use Laws
Bicycle helmets prevent injuries, but only 21 states and the District of Columbia have statewide bicycle helmet laws that apply only to riders younger than 16. Helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent. Because a parent cannot count on the law to enforce helmet use, it is important that parents take an active role to insure that their child is always protected by a helmet when riding a bike.
Wearing it Correctly
Your child needs to understand how to wear it correctly that it can protect him. A bike helmet needs to be worn level and should cover the forehead, thus protecting the frontal cortex of the brain. The straps should always be fastened as a helmet can only protect your child's brain from a fall if it is firmly attached to their head. The straps need to be adjusted snugly so the helmet can't move or twist around on your child's head while riding the bike.
Practice What You Preach
Your child is much more likely to comply with helmet use if he sees you wearing a helmet as well. Show your child you care about your personal safety as much as you care about his. Children will respect your integrity when you follow the same rules you set for them.
What can Happen if a Helmet is not Worn?
It is important for your child to understand what can happen to him if he does not wear a helmet. In 2008, 91 percent of bicyclists who died were not wearing the helmets that might have saved their lives, which highlights the importance of making helmet use an unbending rule in your house. Teach your child that to ride a bike equates wearing a helmet as it only takes one accident to alter a young life forever; no helmet should equal no bike.
References
- "Health & Wellness";The SouthWesternCompany;1997
- "DSM IV"; American Psychological Association; 2005
- "Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology ";Brian Kolb; 2008
- Fatality Analysis Reporting System
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