Summer is a time for fun, outdoor games and water leisure. most of the children have a great time in the water, swimming or diving in the pools and the sea, so it is vital to instill basic safety standards and not lose sight of them for a second.
And, as reported by the Spanish Society of Neurology, during the summer there is a special increase in cases of head trauma, being the injuries caused in the aquatic environment one of the main causes. We tell you what we must do to prevent such accidents and how to act in case of emergency.
Why do head injuries increase in summer?
About 100,000 new cases of craniocerebral trauma (TBI) occur in Spain every year, and although three out of four patients are between the ages of 15 and 30, they also occur very frequently in childhood.
According to the Spanish Society of Neurology, during the summer there is a special increase in ECT, and although most of the time they are mild cases, it is important to take safety measures to prevent blows to the head in children, as they could have fatal consequences.
Experts point out as the main causes, the traffic accidents (since the displacements increase in summer), the practice of certain sports or leisure activities both inside and outside the water, and recklessness when it comes to dive into the pools.
"It is very important protect our head from external aggressions. On the road, children should always travel in special chairs for the car and wear a helmet when using the bike, the scooter, if they ride a horse ... "- notes Dr. Jesus Porta, director of the Brain Foundation.
A lot of caution in the pools and the sea
Children and adolescents are the ones most frequently affected by TBI or spinal injuries produced in swimming pools. This occurs mainly at the time of diving into the water, since it is done recklessly.
From the Brain Foundation, they recommend checking the depth of the water before jumping into the pool, not diving from high altitude, using the arms as protection when throwing head and not losing sight of the children for a moment.
In the case of adolescents, the importance of not bathing or practicing water sports under the influence of alcohol and drugs would also be added to the previous recommendations.
"Not only because of being thrown into the water from a great height, but because many times these practices are associated with the consumption of alcohol or other substances. Check the absence of obstacles and the depth of the place where we are going to submerge, use the arms as protection of our body if we throw ourselves in the head, watch the little ones when they are near the water and do not use drugs before doing any aquatic activity, are the main measures to be taken to avoid these accidents "- emphasizes the Dr. Porta.
If we choose to sail or do water sports with children, experts emphasize the importance of use of life jacket, as it can prevent up to 85 percent of deaths in the event of an accident.
And if among our plans for this vacation is to spend a family day in a water park, we must scrupulously comply with the security measures indicated for the use of the attractions, since a 18 percent of accidents that occur in the aquatic environment occur in water slides, a quarter of them by collision between people.
In addition to these measures, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Red Cross has developed a guide for families to enjoy water without risks, where we can read these other recommendations to avoid accidents and blows to the head:
Don't run around the pool, since you could fall into the water by accident and injure yourself, or injure others
Children should play in the pool without pushing each other, since when they fell into the water they could hit their heads
Teach children to respect safety standards in swimming pools, water parks and open waters, such as rivers, lakes, swamps and beaches
Opt preferably for swimming in pools and beaches guarded by lifeguards, although at no time should we lose sight of our children, nor delegate the responsibility of their surveillance in other older children
After a blow to the head, what signs should alarm us?
After a blow to the head, Many children do not experience any symptoms beyond pain, but in other cases the following alarm signs may appear:
Alteration of the level of consciousness
Confusion, disorientation, drowsiness or post-traumatic amnesia
Vomiting
Seizures
Intense headache
Gait, speech or vision disorder
Crying that does not stop, irritability or any signal in their behavior that alarms us
Appearance of blood or a liquid through the nose or ears
Bruising on the eyelids or around the ears
Asymmetric pupils
Sunken head area
In addition, we must pay special attention to falls that have taken place more than a meter high, as well as blows to the head in children under one year.
How to act in case of accident?
If the child has hit his head, the first thing we should do is assess your general condition, and in case of not showing warning signs and if it is a slight blow, we must observe and take you to the health center if we believe it necessary.
But if the blow has been important, regardless of whether or not the presence of symptoms, The pediatrician should always assess the child's condition. So that:
If after a strong blow, apparently the child is well, we must go to the health center for assessment.
But if after the blow or the fall, the child has alarm symptoms and / or we do not know the magnitude of the damage caused, it is important not to move the patient, assess their vital signs (and attend if necessary) and call 112.
Via Brain Foundation, AEPap
In Babies and More What to do if the child takes a strong blow to the head, The child has taken a slight blow to the head, what to do ?, "Let's go to the pool!" an app for children to learn basic safety rules in the pool, that horrible day when your baby falls to the ground for the first time
