Category: Uncategorized

Blind Spots a Big Danger for Young Children: Child Injury Prevention

by John McKiggan

Everyone who has learned to drive knows that all vehicles have “blind spots” in the back, sides and corners where the vehicles rear view or side view mirrors don’t provide adequate visibility.

Children Injured Every Day

Everyday, young children are injured when they are backed over by a motor vehicle. More than 70% of children injured in “backing up” accidents are hit by a driver who’s related to them, usually their parent.

25% of Junior Hockey Players Suffer Brain Injuries: Ontario Medical Study

by John McKiggan

According to a medical study released in Toronto on Monday, 25% of junior hockey players on the two teams that were the subject of the study suffered concussions (minor traumatic brain injuries) last year.

One of the co-authors of this study, Dr. Paul Echlin called the results “alarming”.

Multiple Injuries

Brain Injury Myth: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury is not Disabling

by John McKiggan

Perhaps the biggest myth of brain injury is that mild traumatic brain injuries are not disabling.

They Look Okay

Since persons with traumatic brain injuries do not look obviously injured and many can function reasonable well in society, there is a common misperception that a traumatic brain injury is not as disabling as more obvious physical injuries.

Safety Tips to Prevent Halloween Injuries

by John McKiggan

I have to admit it, Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I love seeing all the cute and scary costumes, and decorating our house so it looks like a haunted mansion.

But Halloween can also present dangers to children that parents need to be aware of. Here is a simple list of Halloween Safety Tips for parents to consider.

Halloween Safety Tips

Car Seat Recall a Reminder to Parents About Possible Dangers to Children

by John McKiggan

This week Evenflo, one of the largest manufactures of infant car and booster seats, announced it is recalling more than 18,000 child car seats in Canada and the U.S. after Consumer Reports crash-tested the seat and found that it can crack and fail in a simulated 48 km/h frontal collision.

The recall affects the Evenflo Maestro Combination Booster Seat. Canadians who own the seats should call 1-800-265-0749 for more information.

The news made me think of some of the claims I have had in the past where children were injured in car accidents even though they were secured in car seats. The fact is that many parents are not aware of some of the issues that need to be considered when buying and using infant car seats.

Brain Injury Myth – Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Isn’t Permanent

by John McKiggan

Concussions Have Long Term Effects

It was once thought that the effects of concussion, (mild traumatic brain injury) were temporary. Doctors assumed patients could recover from the effects of concussion after a few minutes or hours.

However a famous research study published in Neurology, the Journal of the American Academy of Neurologists, found that after one year, 10% to 15% of mild traumatic brain injury patients still had not fully recovered. In fact, the study determined that many patients had more symptoms than immediately after the accident.

Brain Injury Myth – Children Recover Quickly From Brain Injury

by John McKiggan

Children Vulnerable to Head Injury
Child%20head%20injury.jpg

Children do not lose consciousness as easily as adults. Because they don’t get “knocked out” as often as adults, a myth developed that children did not suffer brain injury as easily or as often adults.

Another myth about children and brain injury is that children are more resilient than adults and that they recover or “bounce back” faster after a traumatic brain injury.