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Contact: Pam Udall
phone: (512) 370-1382
cell: (512) 413-6807
Pam Udall
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Brent Annear
phone: (512) 370-1381
cell: (512) 656-7320
Brent Annear
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When parents give bikes, skates, skateboards, and scooters to children this Christmas, “include the gift that could save a life, then make sure it fits,” the physicians of the Texas Medical Association (TMA) advise.
Give a bicycle helmet, and ensure that it fits the child well, physicians recommend. “We tell parents to make sure the helmet fits down over the child’s forehead, snugly, and truly protects the head,” said Tamra K. Deuser, MD, a family medicine physician in Flower Mound. “Otherwise, the helmet’s just a pretty dressing.”
When properly fitted, the bicycle helmet can prevent serious head injury or even death, which can occur when a child takes a spill on his or her bike. “If a helmet doesn’t fit right, the child is more likely to suffer serious injuries that could change his or her life forever,” Dr. Deuser added. A helmet is made to absorb the energy of an impact, provided it fits properly.
TMA sponsors the Hard Hats for Little Heads program, in which TMA physicians encourage children to wear bicycle helmets when riding bikes and participating in other wheeled activities. With support from TMA’s philanthropic arm, the TMA Foundation, the medical society’s physicians have given more than 30,000 helmets to children. At Hard Hats outreach events, doctors stress that the helmet must fit properly for it to offer the most protection.
Dr. Deuser notes that most helmets are sized based on the child’s age or weight, so parents should look for that guidance when making the purchase.
“Kids are generally very healthy – it’s accidents that can cause serious, life-altering injuries or even death. We can’t prevent all accidents, but we must do what we can to minimize the effects of those accidents.”
Dr. Deuser is sponsoring her fourth Hard Hats event, which will provide 500 helmets free to people in need this holiday.
TMA’s Hard Hats for Little Heads physicians recommend these steps to fit a helmet:
- The helmet must sit squarely on top of the child’s head.
- The front of the helmet should cover the forehead, approximately one inch above the eyebrows.
- Un-twist the chin straps.
- Fasten together the ends of the chin strap and tighten them to secure the helmet to the proper fit. The straps should be snug but comfortable.
- Use the pads included with the helmet to make it fit snugly.
- Test the fit by pushing the helmet with your hand. If it shifts or slides off, adjust the straps to tighten the fit, or try a different-size helmet. “If they wiggle their head and the helmet bobs around, the fit is not good enough,” advises Dr. Deuser.
TMA is the largest state medical society in the nation, representing more than 41,000 physician and medical student members. It is located in Austin and has 120 component county medical societies around the state. TMA’s key objective since 1853 is to improve the health of all Texans.
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Last Published: 12/15/2006 Print this page
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