Heading Off Injuries

Though most parents would never allow their child to ride a bike without a helmet, some will allow their child to ride a snowboard without protective headgear. This relaxed attitude toward winter sports can be dangerous. Head injuries are the leading cause of death among skiers and snowboarders. 

“Since snow is soft, parents often don’t think about the possibility of their children sustaining serious head injuries,” said Joe Grubenhoff, MD, board-certified pediatrician and pediatric emergency medicine fellow at The Children’s Hospital.

According to Dr. Grubenhoff, studies have demonstrated helmet usage for young skiers and snowboarders can reduce the incidence of head injuries by up to 60 percent. Follow these tips when selecting a helmet:

• Choose a skiing or snowboarding helmet that has been certified by the American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM).
• Inspect the helmet regularly for signs of damage, such as cracks or indentions, and replace any helmet that has been involved in a substantial crash.
• If you don’t own a helmet, rent one from the resort.

“Kids naturally have a false sense of confidence about their skills and take unnecessary risks,” Dr. Grubenhoff said. “If they’re wearing helmets, kids will dramatically lower their chance of experiencing a serious head injury.”

Learn more about head injury and concussion care at The Children's Hospital