Brain Injury Awareness Month

Whenever I begin working with a new group of children, I tell them about my little Katie's terrible accident. If only she had BUCKLED her new helmet before climbing onto her bike that morning, I would have seen her grow into a woman like her sisters. Losing a child to death in this day and age is unusual and unnatural. Even children as young as 4 have understood my story and warning about wearing helmets after I tell them about Katie.

One of the leading causes of death and catastrophic injury among children is head injury. The simple act of wearing a properly fitted and properly worn helmet during any wheeled sport can reduce this problem substantially. If the child refuses to comply, take away the bike, roller skates, skate boards, scooters, motor bikes, and so forth. Yes, play the bad guy, Mom and Dad. It is so much easier to put up with a temper tantrum than to bury a child.

For more information on properly fitting helmets, go to this website: http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/bicycle-safety. That is the source of the picture.