Bicycle Helmets and Safety Suggestions

The Offices of Dr. Light would like to extend to you the warmest wishes for the upcoming holiday season.

 As the days grow shorter a few reminders on the bicycle safety is in order.  Remember to wear light obvious attire at all times while riding, even in daylight hours.  Inattentive or impaired drivers need all the cues possible to increase the odds of them seeing you and your family.  While there is no federal law regarding bicycle helmet use, 22 states including California have laws mandating the use of helmets for at least some riders.  California law states that all those under 18 years of age must not operate [nor ride as a passenger on] a bicycle, a non-motorized scooter, a skateboard, or in-line or roller skates unless they are wearing a properly fitted and fastened bicycle helmet that meets the standards of either the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) or the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), or standards subsequently established by those entities.  This also applies to a person who rides upon a bicycle while in a restraining seat that is attached to the bicycle or in a trailer towed by the bicycle.  Some municipalities in California mandate helmet use for all cyclists regardless of age.  A helmet is the best protection of the brain from injury in an accident and all individuals regardless of age should never ride without one!

A few tips on helmet safety.  When purchasing a helmet make sure that it meets the standards of the organizations noted above.  While California law prohibits the sale of non-approved helmets, not all states have these requirements.  Never buy nor use a second hand helmet, as you cannot know the helmet’s history.   Read the manual that comes with the helmet and only clean your helmet via approved methods and with appropriate cleaning solutions.  Some soaps and solvents may weaken the integrity of the helmet.  Always replace a helmet if you are in an accident since they protect your brain by absorbing the force of impact within the helmet material and damage is often not evident to the naked eye.  Some manufactures will replace a damaged helmet either free of charge or at a reduced rate after an accident. A damaged helmet provides reduced protection.  Even if you are never in an accident it is a good idea to replace your helmet every few years to ensure full protect is provided as the materials may lose efficacy with age.  Make sure the helmet you use fits your head well and learn how to securely fasten the straps to ensure optimal protection.  If you are uncertain about the appropriate fit and fastening, check with you local bicycle shop expert.

Always follow the rules of the road while riding.  You have the same rights and responsibilities as motor vehicles.  Pedestrians have the right of way while on a bike path so make sure that they know you are coming.  A brief “I’m on your left” warning or use of a bell or other-noise making device will help keep you and others safe while passing.  Make sure that you are on the inside of the lane travelling the direction of traffic at all times including intersections and do not block right turn lanes.  Do not assume that a driver will stop at intersections, stoplights or stop signs.  Ride defensively.

Always have your identification information with you while riding and it is a good idea to carry a copy of your health insurance card.  Never ride with wearing headphones and do not use a cell phone or text while riding.   Stay attentive to uneven surfaces and obstacles on the roadway.  If possible ride with others but in single file while on all streets and paths.

STAY BRAIN SAFE.  You have only one brain. Use (and protect) it wisely.

The offices of Dr. Light remind you that we are available for free telephone consultations to determine whether our services would be of benefit to you or your clients.  Dr. Light is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist with specialties in children and adolescents, head injury and rehabilitation neuropsychology.  Dr. Light offers a full range of assessment services, including medical legal/forensic psychological and neuropsychological evaluations, evaluations for accommodations for ADHD, learning disabilities or other disabling conditions, and individual educational evaluations.

Dr. Light and his staff also offer cognitive rehabilitation, psychotherapy treatment services and consultation.  Dr. Light is also available to present to you and your staff on various topics including the medical-legal neuropsychological examination, cognitive rehabilitation, memory improvement, sleep hygiene and many other topics.  Please see Dr. Light’s website at www.rogerlightphd.com for a complete listing of topics present and other services available.  We look forward to working together with you.

Head Injuries and the High School Athlete

 The news is full of information (and misinformation) regarding concussions and head injuries in athletes.  Given the hysteria surrounding Frontline’s “League of Denial” and the possibility of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy) among long retired pro football players many parents are concerned about letting their child or adolescent play not only football but any sport that can heighten their chances of their suffering a traumatic head injury.

 While traumatic head injuries can be devastating and all that can be done to protect the only brain you have is critical, it is important to dissociate fact from conjecture. Regarding CTE it does not take much imagination to envision that a situation in which 300 pound players beat each other up with the goal of knocking opposing players out of the game may have some type of deleterious effects. The mind set in pro football for many years of having “your bell rung” meant you sit out for a play or two and then return to the game was certainly bad advice.  This does not mean that anyone who played high level football will suffer devastating brain pathology in their later years.  There are many other factors that differentiate NFL players of past generation from the “normal population” including steroid use, drug and alcohol use, bad nutritional and other habits, etc.  While further research is clearly warranted the conclusion that concussions are the proximal cause of later CTE is far from established.

So what does all this mean to a parent who is contemplating allowing their child to play in a contact sport such as tackle football?  Given the differential size of the head and brain in a child versus an adolescent and adult as well as more limited space between the tissues surrounding the brain in children, avoidance of any type of blow to the head that could lead to a concussion should be avoided. While there is no absolute general consensus allowing a child to play any contact sport, such as tackle football, before the age of 14 is generally not recommended by many medical experts. As noted in a recent headline in “the Atlantic” “America’s Most Dangerous Football Is in the Pee-Wee Leagues, Not the NFL.”  Some clinicians discourage parents from allowing their children to play tackle football before the age of 18, although empirical data on such an age threshold is not available.

Nevertheless, when you as a parent make the decision to allow your child of any age to play in any type of contact sport make sure that their protective equipment is fitted and maintained properly in order to provide expected protection.  Helmets have a limited lifespan of effective protection and must be handled with care.  A helmet should never be used if any significant impact with a hard surface has occurred whether or not evident damage is visible.  Helmets protect by absorbing impact via breakage of the internal and external protective material.  Any helmet breakdown, even normal wear and tear reduces the protection factor.  Helmets should be replaced at a minimum of every 2 to 3 years to ensure maximum protection.

It is also important that the young athlete realize the importance of following the safety rules and rules of their sport.  Make sure that you encourage and reward the practice of good sportsmanship and playing in a clean manner to your child.

Due to the possibility of a severe condition referred to as “Second Impact Syndrome” it is critically important that your child does not return to play with a known or suspected concussion until they have been evaluated and given permission by an appropriate health care professional.  Most high school trainers and coaches now have some information regarding the danger of concussion although not all do and the information they have may be outdated.  Make sure the athletic program for your child has an appropriate head injury and concussion management program in place before allowing your child to participate.

Other tips to keeping your child athlete ‘brain safe’ include:

• Ensure that you (providing a good role model) and your child always wear a properly fitted and maintained helmet:
• while riding a bike, motorcycle, snowmobile, scooter or all-terrain vehicle;
• when playing any contact sport such as football, hockey, lacrosse, or boxing;
• when using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
• batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
• riding a horse; or
• skiing, sledding, or snowboarding

In summary, we all want our children to grow up healthy. While many parents desire the benefits of having their children participate in athletics, such as expanded social networks, improved self-esteem, and maximal physical health, the decision to allow your child to experience the positives of athletic participation while minimizing to risk of long-term devastating consequences should be everyone’s concern.