I'm a big fan of the Tour (Tour de France), and every July, I get amped up! I'm in complete awe of the athletes' strength and level of physical fitness. One of my race favorites pulled out of the race after he went down in a crash in one of the early stages with a knee injury. In fact, many of the major injuries include fractures of the extremities, not head injuries. Why? Several reasons, two of which include properly fitted helmets and the obvious: the roads are cleared of vehicles for the cyclists. This post is clearly not about the Tour de France, but it was my segue into talking about proper fit of your child's bike helmet.
This summer, my daughter started riding her bike, and my husband and I wanted to make sure she was safe, which meant finding the proper helmet. She had to have a princess bike helmet to match her pink princess bike. (Coordinating at the age of three? I could be in trouble in another 10 years!) It cost a little more than $20, but the peace of mind it has given us is priceless, considering she's already had her share of falls. Ever since she started riding her bike, I've been paying more attention to other kids and their helmets (or lack thereof) because I have seen some craziness. Take, for example, the teen-age boy riding on a much-too-small-of-a-bike on a busy road while texting on his phone and flipping his Bieber-like hair … who was NOT wearing a helmet. Several weeks ago, a friend posted a picture of her son riding his bike, and while he was wearing a helmet, it was so ill-fitted that the front of his helmet started past his hairline.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a survey conducted in 2001-2003 revealed only 48% of children ages 4-15 wore bike helmets, and that number decreased as children got older. The CDC also reported that approximately 26,000 bicycle-injuries of children and adolescents were traumatic brain injuries (http://www.cdc.gov). Those are very scary statistics.
A 2012 study from the WV Medical Journal took a look at injuries of children ages 14 and younger, focusing on the differences between children who wore a helmet and children who did not wear a helmet. Their study looked at all pediatric patients treated at the West Virginia Trauma System who were involved in bicycle crashes from 2008 through 2010. They indicated that their findings were similar to other studies (Bergenstal et al. 2012):
- Concussions occurred in 19.4% of helmeted riders and 37.4% of un-helmeted riders.
- Skull fractures occurred in 3.2% of helmeted riders and 17.4% of un-helmeted riders.
- Intra-cranial hemorrhaging occurred in 0% of helmeted riders and 17.4% of un-helmeted riders.
- Zero deaths occurred in helmeted riders, and 2 deaths occurred in un-helmeted riders.
So how should a child's bike helmet fit? Children's Hospital Los Angeles and The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration both offer easy steps to assure proper fit.
1. Size - The helmet should fit snuggly and should not move from side to side. Sizing pads come with newer helmets to help secure the fit, and extra pads can be removed as your child's head grows. If the helmet has a universal fit ring instead of pads, the ring can be adjusted to fit your child's head.
2. Position - The helmet should fit low on your child's forehead, allowing for only one or two-figer widths above the eyebrow.
3. Side Straps - The left and right straps should meet right below your child's ears to form a V-shape under and slightly in front of the years. Secure the side straps if possible to prevent slipping.
4. Chin Straps - Center the left buckle under the chin. Buckle the strap and tighten until it is snug. No more than one finger should fit under the strap.
5. Final Fit
- Does the helmet fit correctly? You can check by asking your child to open his/her mouth wide. In doing so, the helmet should pull down on his/her head. If you find that the helmet is not fitting correctly, check the tightness of the chin straps.
- Does the helmet lean forward into your child's eyes? Is there only one or two fingers between the helmet and your child's eyebrows? If not, then tighten the side straps and chin straps.
- Does the helmet move while your child shakes his/her head? If so, check the sizing pads or universal fit ring.
- Roll the rubber band down to the buckle. All four straps should go through the rubber band.
This quick how-to video may help you to figure out the correct fit for your child's helmet.
Children grow, so it's undeniable that they will also outgrow their helmets. You will need replace your child's helmet if his/her head has outgrown the helmet size, your child has crashed in the helmet, or it has been dropped on a hard surface such as concrete as it may no longer provide the correct protection. It may seem "nit-picky" and "petty" to consider these factors, but then you must also consider the alternative: a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Even with a mild TBI, children may experience life-long difficulties with attending, working memory, processing speed, organization, and behaviors. I know this because I suffered from a TBI 16 years ago, and the effects still challenge me, but that's another post on another day.
Sources:
Bergenstal J, Davis S., Sikora R., Paulson D., Whiteman C. "Pediatric Bicycle Prevention and the Effect of Helmet Use: The West Virginia Experience." Center for Diseases Control and Prevention. West Virginia Medical Journal, n.d. Web. 13 July 2014.
"Bicycle Helmets Save Medical Costs for Children." Children's Safety Network. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 July 2014.
Franco, Cheryl. "Bicycle Helmets: Getting the Right Fit." Children's Hospital Los Angeles. n.p., n.d. Web. 13 July 2014.
"Easy Steps to Properly Fit a Bicycle Helmet." NHTSA. n.p., Sept. 2016. Web. 13 July 2014.
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