A great deal of attention has been given in recent years to the effects of traumatic brain injury on athletes of all ages and members of the military in combat zones. However, infants and young children can also suffer TBIs.
A recent study found that a significant number of TBIs in little ones are the result of stroller and infant carrier mishaps. Over 17,000 end up in emergency rooms every year with stroller and carrier-related brain injuries.
More than a majority of these injuries resulted in TBIs and required hospitalization. Over three-quarters of carrier-related injuries involved an injury to the brain. More than two-thirds of stroller-related injuries did.
Concussions and TBIs in young children are nothing to be taken lightly. According to one brain injury researcher, they can have “long-term consequences on cognitive development.”
Parents can take precautions to minimize the risk of brain injury to their infants and young children. For example, with strollers, they need to make sure that their children are buckled in securely. Carriers need to be put on properly. Whether you have a stroller or carrier, it’s essential that it properly fits your child.
Even when parents take all of the proper precautions, sometimes there are defects in infant and child products that can cause them to malfunction and result in injuries. While products that have been recalled should no longer be available for sale in stores or online, if you already have a stroller, carrier or other product or buy one at a second-hand store, it’s essential to make sure that it hasn’t been recalled. You can check for recalls at the www.recalls.gov website.
If your child has been injured by a defective product, you may have legal recourse to seek compensation for medical bills and other damages. These legal claims can also help incentivize manufacturers be more safety-conscious and help other parents become aware of product defects.
Source: Forbes, “Concussion And Traumatic Brain Injury Dominate Hospitalizations From Stroller And Baby Carrier Injuries,” Tara Haelle, Aug. 17, 2016
