Traumatic brain injury primary prevention

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Effective measures for the primary prevention of traumatic brain injury include

Wearing a seat belt.
Buckling children into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (depending on the child’s age) every time the child rides in a car.
Wearing a helmet and making sure children wear helmets when undertaking high-risk activities.
Keeping firearms and bullets stored in a locked cabinet when not in use
Avoiding falls by using a support
Using only playgrounds with surfaces made of shock-absorbing material (e.g. mulch, sand)

Effective measures for the primary prevention of traumatic brain injury inlude^[1]

Wearing a seat belt.
Buckling children into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt (depending on the child’s age) every time the child rides in a car.
Wearing a helmet and making sure children wear helmets when
- Riding a bike or motorcycle
- Playing a contact sport such as American football or ice hockey
- Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard
- Batting and running bases in baseball or softball
- Riding a horse
- Rock climbing
- Sledding
- Skiing or snowboarding
Keeping firearms and bullets stored in a locked cabinet when not in use
Avoiding falls by
- Using a step-stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves
- Installing handrails on stairways
- Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows
- Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around
Using only playgrounds with surfaces made of shock-absorbing material (e.g. mulch, sand)