Got Wheels? Get a Helmet! Safe Kids Week is May 31 - June 5 - May 27, 2010

Safe Kids Week raises awareness of the importance of safety, especially for children. The message of this year’s campaign is to wear a helmet if you are on wheels, whether it be bicycling, inline skating, or riding a scooter or skateboard. Parents should be aware that children are at a greater risk for injury since they are less likely to understand risks, tend to underestimate speed, and often lose their balance on road gravel and debris. 

Research shows that injuries to the head result in the most severe injuries and death to kids on bicycles. The human skull is only one centimetre thick and can be shattered by an impact of only 7 km/h. Head injuries can permanently affect the way a child walks, talks, thinks and plays. It has been proven that wearing a helmet can decrease the risk of brain injury by 85 per cent.

It is important to make sure the helmet fits the child correctly and that is designed for the specific activity it is being used for. Safe Kids Canada recommends that a helmet fit firmly on the child’s head and not shake when the head is moving. The foam pads, which are sold with the helmet, can be used to adjust the fit. The helmet should fit level on the child’s head when the chin strap is buckled securely, with only one finger able to slide under the strap. If you look at your child from the side, “V” of the strap should be directly under the ear. Children should also be taught how helmets fit properly so that they are able to check the fit each time they strap on their helmet. 

Other important tips to keep in mind include:
• Be sure children remove baseball caps, headbands and headphones before putting on their helmet. 
• Remind children not to put stickers on their helmet because adhesive in the glue can break down the plastic in the helmets and make them less effective.
• Always replace a helmet after five years or if it has been involved in a crash. Just because you are not able to see any physical damage, there may be breaks on the inside that you can not see.
• Avoid buying a used helmet because you cannot confirm whether or not it has been in a crash.

For more information on helmet safety or if your have any other safety questions, please go to www.safekidscanada.ca. For information on local events that may be happening in your area, please call Ulrica Pye, Parent and Child Health Coordinator for Western Health at 632-2919.

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Media Contact:
Heidi Staeben-Simmons
Director of Communications
Western Health
709-637-5252
heidistaebensimmons@westernhealth.nl.ca