Save yourself a trip to the ER by taking this advice
It’s spring. The weather is getting better, and it’s time to pull out the skateboards and hoverboards.
But, if your child is about to jump on, beware. Make sure they are taking precautions that could save you from a trip to the emergency department.
A study released this month in the journal Pediatrics found that hoverboards resulted in over 26,000 childhood injuries in the U.S. in one year alone, from 2015-16.
The self-balancing scooters sent these kids to the emergency department and were blamed for arm and wrists fractures, as well as head injuries. And, it was 12-year-old boys who were most likely to be the ones injured.
“Those statistics hold very true to what I see in our emergency department during the summer; fractures to arms, wrists and noses, and frequently facial lacerations,” says Dr. Charles Nozicka, emergency medicine physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital. “And the children most severely injured are most often those who were poorly protected.”
Dr. Nozicka strongly encourages parents to make sure their children have safe-fitting helmets and wrist pads before hopping on. He says the protection can make a world of difference.
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About the Author
Evonne Woloshyn, health enews contributor, is director of public affairs at Advocate Children's Hospital. Evonne began her career as an anchor and reporter in broadcast news. Over the past 20 years, she has worked in health care marketing in both Ohio and Illinois. Evonne loves to travel, spend time with family and is an avid Pittsburgh Steelers fan!
