Prevention, Control, & Elimination
There are many ways to reduce the chances of brain injury. CDC and the Brain
Injury Association of America offer these tips:
Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle.
Always buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt
(according to the child's height, weight, and age) in the car.
Never drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets when
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Riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter, or all-terrain vehicle;
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Playing a contact sport, such as football, ice hockey, or boxing;
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Using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
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Batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
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Riding a horse; or
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Skiing or snowboarding.
Avoid falls in the home by
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Using a step stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves;
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Installing handrails on stairways;
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Installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open
windows;
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Using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are
around;
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Removing tripping hazards such as small area rugs and loose electrical cords;
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Using non-slip mats in the bathtub and on shower floors;
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Putting grab bars next to the toilet and in the tub or shower;
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Maintaining a regular exercise program to improve strength, balance, and
coordination; and
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Seeing an eye doctor regularly for a vision check to help lower the risk of
falling.
Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing
material, such as hardwood, mulch, and sand.
Keep firearms stored unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a
separate secured location.
There are many opportunities to raise awareness in your community about the
causes and consequences of TBI. Below are some times of the year that may be
appropriate for drawing attention to a particular issue:
Schools are a great place to incorporate prevention efforts. The National SAFE
KIDS Campaign Web site and the National Program for Playground Safety Web site
have teacher plans and student handouts about motor vehicle, sports and
recreation, and playground safety.
Additional Resources
Government Organizations
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
NHTSA is
responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from
motor vehicle crashes. NHTSA provides consumer information about motor vehicle
safety topics.
www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Child Passenger Safety:
www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/injury/childps/
Phone:
888-DASH-2-DOT (888-327-4236)
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
NINDS’s
mission is to reduce the burden of neurological disease — a burden borne by
every age group, by every segment of society, by people all over the world.
www.ninds.nih.gov
NIH Neurological Institute
P.O. Box 5801 Bethesda, MD 20824 Phone: 800-352-9424
Non-Government Organizations
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Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA)
BIAA identifies and responds to
the needs of individuals with brain injury and their families. It creates new
and innovative programs to serve its constituencies. BIAA has state-chartered
affiliates, to help injured persons. BIAA also has a number of fact sheets
about TBI.
www.biausa.org
BIAA
Fact Sheets:
www.biausa.org/Pages/facts_and_stats.html
Greensboro Drive, Suite 611 McLean, VA 22102 Phone: 703-761-0750
Family Helpline: 800-444-6443
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National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS)
Established under a grant
from the CDC, NPSS works to reduce the annual playground-related injuries
suffered by America’s youth. NPPS also serves as a recognized national
clearinghouse for playground safety information.
www.uni.edu/playground/
School of Health,
Physical Education and Leisure Services WRC 205 University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0618 Phone: 800-554-PLAY (7529)
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National SAFE KIDS Campaign
The National SAFE KIDS Campaign is the first
and only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of
unintentional childhood injury, the number one killer of children ages 14 and
under.
www.safekids.org
1301 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004 Phone:
202-662-0600
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ThinkFirst National Injury Prevention Foundation
Thinkfirst Foundation
works to prevent brain, spinal cord, and other traumatic injuries by educating
of individuals, community leaders, and policy makers.
www.thinkfirst.org
5550 Meadowbrook Drive,
Suite 110 Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Phone: 800-Think56 (844-6556)
Date last reviewed: 06/03/2004
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