Toddlers, Tricycles, and Helmet Safety

Life doesn’t have a rewind button. It only takes a few seconds for a life changing accident to occur. Whether you are two years old or two hundred years old, helmets can prevent serious brain injuries and even death. It is imperative that toddlers and small children learn to wear helmets from the moment they get on their first tricycle or big wheel. A toddler can start wearing a helmet after they turn one. Any younger and their necks may not be strong enough to support a helmet. Toddlers should wear helmets, not only for their safety, but also to start a habit that they will hopefully continue throughout their life.

Facts and statistics

According to Consumer Reports, “A bike helmet can not only save a life, but it can also prevent or lessen the severity of brain injury during a bicycle crash. Nearly half of children 14 and under who are hospitalized for bicycle-related injuries receive a traumatic brain injury diagnosis” (Bike helmets for kids, 2009). They also state that “A helmet can reduce the risk of serious brain injuries by as much as 85 percent” (Bike helmets for kids, 2009) and “Despite the protection afforded by a helmet, only about 25 percent of children 14 and under actually wear them” (Bike helmets for kids, 2009).

Livestrong.com  states “Of the 350,000 children admitted to the emergency room every year after bike accidents, almost half (130,000) are admitted due to head injuries, and approximately 200 of those children die every year” (Lunardoni, 2009).

Choosing the right helmet

As you search for the right helmet for your child, you might want to know that more expensive doesn’t mean safer (Mathis, 2011). “Every single cycling helmet sold in the United States must be certified to pass the CPSC, or Consumer Products Safety Commission, standard regardless of price” (Callahan, 2011). The higher priced helmets may weigh less and have better ventilation and comfort but they aren’t any safer. Well-known manufacturers of children’s helmets are ProRider, Schwinn, Giro and Bell.

A good helmet must be adjusted to fit your child’s head properly for the best chance in protecting them in case of an accident. Livestrong.com suggests 5 steps to insure the best fit.

 1) Measure the circumference of your child’s head just above the brow line and take that measurement with you to the store when you are picking out a helmet.

2) Let your child be an active participant in picking out a helmet (color, style etc) to encourage a positive attitude toward wearing it.

3) Use your child’s measurement to pick out the correct size. Normally, "toddler" helmets fit heads up to 20-1/2 inches, "small" helmets fit heads up to 20-7/8 inches, "medium" helmets fit heads up to 22-3/8 inches, and "large" helmets fit heads up to 23-7/8 inches. It never hurts to look at the manufacturer’s sizing chart as well but do not trust the age recommendations listed because each child’s head is different.

4) Put the helmet on your child and adjust all of the straps and fitting rings until it is snug and does not shift side-to-side with head movement.  Using one hand, try to gently lift the helmet upwards and backwards until no movement occurs. Use the provided sizing pads as needed.

5) Lastly, check to make sure that the distance between the front of the helmet and the eyebrows is two finger-widths apart (middle and index finger). Also, check to make sure that the place where the back and chin strap meet is just under and slightly in front of the ear. (Casto, 2011)

Other features toddler helmets may include are pinch-proof buckles or the most light-weighted materials. This would be for the youngest ones who might get their fingers caught or their necks may not be quite strong enough yet. These features are nice for small children, but not necessary for safety reasons.

Make sure they wear it

                Enforcing a consistent helmet rule from the beginning is key. Even the youngest children should wear a helmet when they are riding anything with wheels. This can be any small vehicle including (but not limited to!) bicycles, tricycles, big wheels, scooters, roller skates/blades, and even when they are passengers in pull-behind trailers or in an installed seat behind an adult. A great rule for your child: if you don’t wear it, you don’t ride it. Make it “cool” for your child to wear their helmet. Point out other kids (maybe older) they admire who are wearing helmets. Be a good example and wear a helmet yourself. Draw attention to grown athletes on TV or in pictures who are also wearing helmets. Another good tactic is to explain to them how helmets keep them safe (Lunardoni, 2009).  

Hand-me-down helmet

If a child is going to wear a helmet that has been worn by another child in the past, a few precautions should be taken before putting it to use. First, the helmet should be closely inspected. If it has any dents or cracks it should not be used. It is also necessary that all the buckles and straps are in perfect working order. Second, check the federal government’s recall website to make sure that the model you have isn’t listed. Lastly, wipe down the helmet with an antimicrobial cleanser. If the helmet was recently worn by another child, place it in a plastic bag for seven to ten days. This will kill any possible head lice on the helmet (Whittemore, 2010).

Other bike safety tips for toddlers

                A common misconception among parents and guardians is that the first thing a child should learn is how to balance on their bike; when actually a child should be taught first how to avoid crashes, then how and why to wear a helmet, and last, how to balance. Children under five years old have not developed the proper cognitive skills to learn bike safety from observation. They must be told to stay away from the street, always wear a helmet, stop at stop signs, and to go with the flow of traffic. All these things should be explained before they ever even get on a bicycle or tricycle. From the time they begin riding a bike until they are ten years old, children should always be supervised by an adult when riding a bike (Ward, 2010). The Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute has a great guide to teaching your child how to ride a bike. It can be found online at http://www.helmets.org/kidteach.htm.

Bike safety at preschool

                Toddlers can learn about bike safety and wearing helmets both at home and at preschool. There are many online resources offering event ideas and lesson plans about bike safety. Many have different activities for different age groups of children. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has a website resource called The Bicycle Safety Activity Kit that can be found at http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/BSKitBoth/ 3152BSKit/index.htm. It provides adults with the tools to teach bicycle safety to children through fun games and activities. NHSTA also offers a great list of event ideas themed around bicycle safety which can be found at http://www.nhtsa. gov/people/injury/childps/int-walktoschoolplanner2006/pages/BikeSafetyMain.htm. Many encourage community involvement and promote bicycle safety awareness.

                Livestrong.com encourages preschool classroom activities that include learning traffic signs by coloring and making crafts that model their shapes and symbols. They also suggest playing games and making puzzles and include pictures and messages that promote bicycle safety (Smith, 2011).  Livestrong.com also encourages parents and guardians to take an active role in teaching bicycle safety as well. They recommend that parents be positive role models while riding bikes and wear helmets to set a good example. Active learning can be used by asking children why they think it’s important to wear a helmet and getting them involved by practicing adjusting their helmet straps themselves (Frost, 2011).

               

               

               

References

Bike helmets for kids. Consumer Reports. Retrieved from http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/babies-             kids/school-age-kids/bike-helmets/bike-helmet-guide/bike-helmets-for-kids/index.htm

Callahan, C. (2011). Bicycle helmets for children. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.

com/article/229657-bicycle-helmets-for-children/

Casto, R. (2011). How to measure children’s bicycle helmets. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from

                http://www.livestrong.com/article/426043-how-to-measure-childrens-bicycle-helmets/

Frost, S. (2011). How to teach about bike helmet safety. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from

http://www.livestrong.com/article/173365-how-to-teach-about-bike-helmet-safety/

Lundardoni, C. (2009). Why should children wear bicycle helmets? Livestrong.com. Retrieved from

                http://www.livestrong.com/article/21816-should-children-wear-bicycle-helmets/

Mathis, B. (2011). The best bicycle helmets. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com

/article/114935-bicycle-helmets/             

Smith, J. (2011). Preschool classroom activities on bicycles. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://

www.livestrong.com/article/404577-preschool-classroom-activities-on-bicycles/

Ward, C. (2010). Bike safety for preschoolers. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.

com/article/110928-bike-safety-preschoolers/

Whittemore, F. (2010). How to use a used bike helmet for a toddler. Livestrong.com. Retrieved from

                http://www.livestrong.com/article/209935-how-to-use-a-used-bike-helmet-for-a-toddler/