Household Products Linked to Brain Injuries in Children
A recent study has linked pediatric brain injuries to everyday products used throughout most homes. This study is unique because it shows that pediatric brain injuries while occurring in sports, can also occur outside of the competitive arena. Traumatic brain injuries due to consumer products may represent a new front as measures are taken to reduce the frequency of brain injuries in children.
A Research Study Published in Brain Injury
A pediatric brain injury takes place when direct contact with the head causes an alteration in the way that the brain processes and distributes information. A peer-reviewed study published in Brain Injury reviewed records in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance Program on individuals under 19. More than four million records were available regarding traumatic brain injuries in children from 2010 to 2013. The researchers sorted the causes of these injuries to look for common trends. Based on their results, the top ten consumer products that were listed as contributing to pediatric brain injuries included:
- Basketball
- Beds and bed frames
- Bicycles
- Ceilings and walls
- Chairs, sofas, couches, and similar products
- Flooring
- Football
- Soccer
- Stairs and staircases
- Tables
This information is concerning because almost all of these products are readily available in most homes. That means pediatric brain injuries can occur at any time.
The Most Common Causes of Pediatric Brain Injuries
The researchers ranked the most common causes of pediatric brain injuries based on the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System information. They found that:
- Sports and recreation, such as football, basketball, and soccer, were responsible for nearly 30 percent of all brain injuries in children.
- Fixtures and furnishings in the home, such as couches, chairs, and tables, were linked to over 17 percent of all head injuries in children.
- Home structures, such as floors, ceilings, and walls, were implicated in about 17 percent of all pediatric brain injuries.
- Children’s nursery equipment, such as cribs, caused about 3 percent of head injuries in children.
- Childhood toys, such as bicycles, caused about 2 percent of head injuries.
This data can help predict where and how pediatric brain injuries occur. With proper intervention, head and brain injuries in children may be avoided.
Watch YouTube Video: These Eleven Everyday Items are Commonly Linked to Brain Injuries in Children. The following video explains how these everyday household items can contribute to traumatic brain injuries in children.
How Do Brain Injuries in Children Occur?
The researchers discussed how brain injuries can occur. Some of the most critical trends in the data include:
- Uneven Flooring and Prefabricated Stairs: A large proportion of head injuries in children under age 4 occur due to slip and fall injuries. Children learning to walk in homes with uneven flooring can easily trip, fall, and bang their heads on the floor. The same can happen when children are learning to use the stairs.
- Falls from Home Furniture: Unsupervised children, particularly toddlers, can tumble from home furniture quickly. Falls from beds, chairs, and tables can lead to pediatric brain injuries when babies and toddlers roll off these home fixtures. Researchers highlighted that car seats were a common cause of brain injuries in babies and toddlers. While car seats are effective when appropriately used in motor vehicles, they can easily fall from tables and chairs.
- Sports and Recreation: Sports and recreation are at the top of the list for school-aged children. Bicycles, football, and basketball were highlighted as common causes of pediatric brain injuries. Helmets should be worn at all times while riding bikes and playing football. This might reduce the frequency of injuries that take place during recreational activity.
Reducing the Frequency of Pediatric Brain Injuries
The study closed by offering a few suggestions regarding how the frequency of brain injuries in children may be reduced. Some of their tips include:
- In homes with young children, area rugs and runners should be removed whenever possible. The edges of the rugs often rise slightly and create uneven flooring. This may cause a toddler to trip and fall.
- Whenever possible, challenging surface playgrounds should be avoided. It should be no surprise that children fall while playing on the playground. Soft rubber surfaces reduce brain injuries when compared to complex, concrete surfaces.
- Lighting was listed as a contributing factor in many pediatric brain injuries. Measures should be implemented to improve lighting so children can quickly spot tripping hazards, such as toys.
- Stairway handles should be installed and used at all times. Children should be taught from a young age to use these handrails to avoid falling down the stairs.
- Home safety gates should be installed around the stairs in homes with young children to prevent falls down the stairs.
Future studies should be done to cross-reference the severity of these head injuries with their respective causes. Anyone showing signs or symptoms of a head injury after an accident should seek care from a medical professional as quickly as possible.
Sacramento Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Brain Injury Lawyer. Pediatric brain injuries are a severe issue, and measures should be taken to prevent them from happening. If your child has suffered a brain injury in an accident, please call me at (800) 404-5400 or (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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