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Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Playground Related TBI's: Facts, Stats, and Safety Tips for Parents

Do you remember going to your neighborhood playground when you were a kid? Even playing at the local McDonald’s Play Place seemed like the time of your life. It wasn’t uncommon to fall off of the monkey bars or platforms and scrape your knee. With wooden play sets, you may have even worried about splinters. Chances are, your mom or dad told you to get up, rub the dirt off and keep playing. But now, medical professionals are realizing our children could be dealing with much more serious consequences: traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).



According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, a subdivision of the Centers for Disease Control, more than 200,000 kids are treated for playground injuries every year. Luckily, about 55 percent of injuries are contusions/abrasions and fractures. These are easily treated and are very rarely life-threatening. However, at least 10 percent are concussions and other forms of traumatic brain injuries.
It is the increased rate of traumatic brain injuries that has doctors so worried. That statistic has jumped greatly from 2005 to 2013. Most of these injuries occur on public playgrounds, often during school recess.
Most playground-related TBIs were associated with monkey bars and swings, according to researchers. In some instances, these can prove to be fatal. The Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated 40 such deaths from 2001 to 2008. What they found was startling - the average age of those killed was 6 years old.
However, TBIs were not the most common cause of death. About 70 percent of the kids who were killed were strangled, usually by swing sets and other ropes/strings. About 15 percent died from falling off the playset and hitting their heads. Even so, this number is much too high.

It’s important to note that almost all trips to the playground involve treatable injuries, at most. In fact, over 95 percent of kids injured are treated and released without further care. But we do know that more can be done to protect our children who enjoy playing outside. New research is being done to improve playset equipment, hard surfaces and other factors that directly influence the rate of injuries. In the meantime, there are things that you as a parent can do to protect your kids:
  1. Read all playground signs, and follow any posted directions.
  2. Try to only go to playgrounds with soft surfaces, like sand, mulch or grass.
  3. Make sure the playground has equipment appropriate for your kids’ age group.
  4. If the equipment or guardrails are damaged, go to another playground.
  5. Be on the lookout for rocks, stumps and other things that can cause your kids to trip.

No matter how careful you are, sometimes injuries happen. If it’s caused by faulty equipment or poor design, you may be able to get compensation for your child’s injury. This is especially true if your child suffers a Traumatic Brain Injury. If your child or loved one suffers from a TBI due to the negligence of a third-party click here to learn more about your rights.



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16 comments:

  1. awesome tips ,,with grandkids cant be too careful

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  2. I didn't even think about this. I'm glad the kids are older so it's not quite as easy for them to get hurt.

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  3. I didn't even think about this. I'm glad the kids are older so it's not quite as easy for them to get hurt.

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  4. Good tips, I take my kids to the park multiple days a week.

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  5. I have never thought of that possibility before. This is really important info for anyone with young kids or grandkids.

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  6. Wow, this is really scary, I had no idea that the rate of traumatic brain injuries have been increasing. Thank you for sharing this information to help raise awareness.

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  7. Such Great Tips I Always Keep Tabs On My Kids It's When Your Not Looking For That Split Second They Get Hurt, Thank God It's Usually Just A Bump Or Scrape!!

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  8. we always run a hand over the better part of things our kids want to mess with, just to check for jagged spots, sharp rust or anything that might cause a wound. Also, just because the ground is soft, doesn't mean they can't jump or fall from a high spot and still get hurt! always bring a phone and first aid kit (even if just a small one) just in case!

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  9. Kids can get carried away at playgrounds, these are good suggestions. Better safe than sorry!

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  10. I take my grandchildren to the park once a week and these tips will help me.. I often am only thinking about the cleanliness of the slide that I forget other things.. thank you for all the tips

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  11. Very helpful tips! I always seek out playgrounds with soft surfaces to take my granddaughter, but still hold my breath sometimes when she is climbing around. You can never be too careful!

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  12. WOW..this is truly eye-opening! I've always worried about the minor injuries but never death! Thanks so much for sharing these playground facts with us.

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  13. Super scary. I'm always watching for injuries anyway but I try not to hover. It's not easy to do

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  14. Thank you for sharing these safety tips for the playground! I wouldn't have thought of some of these.

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  15. Thanks for the wonderful tips.Safety is so important.

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  16. Thanks for the wonderful tips.Safety is so important.

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