Prevention

The only real cure for a brain injury is prevention.

Here are some basic safety tips:

• Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
• Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
• Wear a helmet when riding a bike or motorcycle or engaging in similar activities.

Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome occurs when an infant or small child is violently shaken, creating a motion that injures the head and spine. This can cause life threatening injuries, brain damage or death.

Awareness of the causes and dangers of shaking is the key element in preventing shaken baby syndrome. The National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome offers these suggestions for parents and caregivers caring for a crying baby:

• Make sure the baby is not hungry or doesn’t need to be burped or changed.
• Sing or talk to the baby.
• Offer the baby a pacifier.
• Hold the baby against your chest and gently massage the baby.
• Rock, walk or dance with the baby.
• Take the baby for a ride in a stroller or car ride.
• Call someone and take a break.
• Check for signs of illness and call your doctor if the baby seems ill.

           
Children and youth

Buckle your child in the car using a child safety seat, booster seat or seat belt.

• Children under the age of 12 years should never ride in the front seat of a car equipped with an airbag.
• Children should start using a booster seat when they outgrow their child safety seats (usually when they weigh about 40 pounds). They should continue to ride in a booster seat until the lap/shoulder belts in the car fit properly, typically when they are 4’9” tall.

Make sure your children wear helmets when:

• Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle.
• Playing a contact sport.
• Using skates or riding a skateboard.
• Batting and running bases in baseball or softball.
• Riding a horse.
• Skiing or snowboarding.

Choose playgrounds with soft under-surfaces that will cushion a fall.

Make living areas safer for children, by locking up household cleaners, installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows and using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around.

Seniors

Safeguard against falls by:

• Wearing shoes with good support and non-slip soles.
• Using nonslip mats in the bathtub.
• Installing grab bars in the tub or shower.
• Installing handrails on stairways.
• Improving lighting throughout the home.
• Maintaining a regular physical activity program, if your doctor agrees, to improve lower body strength and balance.

Review medications and side effects annually or when medication is added or changed. Advise your doctor immediately if side effects change.

Have your vision checked annually.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.