Prevention of traumatic brain injuries

Many head injuries are preventable. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have the following safety tips for reducing the risk of suffering a TBI:

• Wear a seatbelt every time you drive or ride in a car.
• Buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seatbelt (depending on the child's age) every time the child rides in a car.
• Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets when
• riding a bike or motorcycle;
• playing a contact sport such as football or ice hockey;
• using in-line skates or riding a skateboard;
• batting and running bases in baseball or softball;
• riding a horse;
• skiing or snowboarding.
• Keep firearms and bullets stored in a locked cabinet when not in use.
• Avoid falls by
• using a step-stool with a grab bar to reach objects on high shelves;
• installing handrails on stairways;
• installing window guards to keep young children from falling out of open windows;
• using safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when young children are around.
• Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material (e.g., hardwood mulch, sand).

A systematic review of factors contributing to outcomes in patients with traumatic brain injury.