Pediatric brain injuries result in more than $1 billion in hospital charges annually. The most dangerous age groups, statistically, are children from 0 – 4 years-old, and children from 15 – 19 years-old.

The most common causes of pediatric TBI are as follows:

• Car Accidents
• Falls
• Assaults
• Sports and Recreational Activities
• Child Abuse

While the acute symptoms of pediatric TBI are similar to the acute symptoms of adult TBI, unfortunately, pediatric TBI can result in significant long-term functional problems. It is important that children’s brains are not thought of as miniature adult brains. It has long been thought that brain injuries to children were not as serious because their brains could essentially rewire themselves to overcome any brain damage. Long term studies have shown that this neuroplasticity theory is not accurate.

Studies have also shown that following a pediatric TBI, children go through an immediate phase of recovery, but then they typically experience a decline and then a Neurocognitive Stall that results in symptoms plateauing, as opposed to improving.

It is critical that pediatricians recognize the long-term consequences involved in pediatric TBI, so children can be monitored at each stage of their neuro-cognitive development in order to determine if they are falling behind in any particular area of development.

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Contact an experienced Pediatric TBI Attorney.

Wisconsin law requires that children under 4 to be in a car seat and children 4 -8 to be in a booster seat. The specifics are as follows:

• Children less than 1 year old OR under 20 pounds must be in a rear facing child seat in the back seat (if there is a back seat)
• Children from 1 – 3 OR under 40 pounds must be in a forward-facing child seat in the back seat (if there is a back seat)
• Children from 4 – 7 OR between 40 – 80 pounds OR 4′ 9″ or less must be in a booster seat
• Children 8 and older OR 80 pounds or greater OR 4’9″ or taller must be in a seatbelt

While parents that fail to meet the above requirements can face serious fines and penalties, more importantly they may be endangering their children’s safety.

For more information regarding child seats visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Child Safety Seat Site. Also, September 24, 2011, is the National Seat Check Saturday.

The Take 25 campaign aims to heighten awareness of children’s personal safety issues. With a focus on prevention, the campaign encourages parents and guardians to spend about 25 minutes talking to their children about ways to be safer. Free safety resources including safety tips, conversation starters, child ID kits, and more can be found at http://www.take25.org.

Although the national Take 25 campaign’s main safety focus is on child abduction and exploitation, Rozek Law Offices, SC urges parents in Wisconsin to also take a few minutes to discuss with their children the safety precautions relating to head injury including the importance of always wearing a helmet when riding a bike, skateboarding, skiing, and riding on an ATV.

Due to the growing link between brain trauma on the football field and CTE, a number of living former NFL players decided that, upon death, they would donate their brains to Boston University School of Medicine. This pact of players was titled the 88 Plan, named after former NFL star John Mackey’s jersey number. Mackey was suffering from severe dementia. It is not possible to determine the underlying disease which causes dementia from a living brain. The pact’s players hope that the resulting research will serve as a wake-up call that radical change is needed in football to protect the millions of adults and children playing the game.

Later in 2009, the National Football League was accused in front of the House Judiciary Committee of neglect in its handling of active and retired players with brain injuries. It was reported that there was mounting evidence of a link between playing football and cognitive impairment, such as dementia later in life. The long term effects of the game of football on player’s health was discussed. One representative said there should be federal scrutiny of football, particularly because the impact of injuries on the millions of players at the college, high school and youth levels.

More than one million youngsters play high school football every fall, with hundreds seriously injured by concussions due to the young player not understanding the risks or playing despite their pain to mirror their N.F.L. heroes.

Since the House Judiciary Committee hearing, the NFL has instituted stricter return-to-play guidelines for players showing concussion symptoms; required each team to enlist an independent neurologist as an adviser; entered into a partnership with Boston University brain researchers who have been critical of the league’s stance on concussions; and conducted tests on helmets. The recently updated guideline prevent athletes from returning to a game after sustaining a head injury. The NFL’s change of policy, in addition to high profile brain injuries sustained by Olympic athletes, has recently highlighted the risk of permanent damage from a head injury.

The Mackey-White Traumatic Brain Injury Committee was formed by the NFL Players Association and includes professional athletes, past and current NFL players, doctors and researchers. The purpose of the group is to open a dialogue on brain injuries in professional football, discuss the latest research and begin developing recommendations to keep players safer. The first committee meeting was held in January 2010.

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For more information on Traumatic Brain Injury.

If a child is sitting in a seat without a booster seat, the shoulder strap is apt to fit incorrectly allowing the child to slip forward and hit something in the event of a car accident. Many times this slippage causes serious brain injuries to the child. The lap belt is also more likely to rise up over the child’s pelvis causing internal damage.

When using a booster seat, its also important to utilize the following 2 steps to maximize effectiveness.

1. Ensure the lap belt part of the seat belt goes under the arm rest.

2. If the booster seat has a back, ensure the shoulder strap of the seat belt is correctly looped through the top of the seat back.

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Rozek Law Offices, SC has experiencing representing children that have been injured in car accidents. If your child has been injured in an accident, please be sure to contact an experienced Wisconsin Car Accident Attorney.