This Summer, Use Your Head

Bicycling, water sports, and car trips are the stuff summertime fun is made of. But without proper precautions, these activities could result in a traumatic brain injury. Common sense and a few simple steps can reduce the risks.

"A lot of people, especially kids, think that because it hasn't happened to them before, it can never happen," says Gerard Francisco, M.D., associate director for the TIRR Brain Injury Program and adjunct assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine.

In fact, 19- to 24-year-olds fall victim to traumatic brain injuries more often than any other age group, says Ellen Levin, Ph.D., clinical director of the TIRR Challenge Program.

Traumatic brain injuries, or external trauma to the head, can range from mild to severe. Mild cases make up 80 percent of the total number of brain injuries, according to Dr. Walter High, Ph.D., director of TIRR's Brain Injury Research Center. Severe brain injuries are those in which a person has been in a coma for a day or more, he says.

"Through the TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) Model System data, you see an increase in the number of traumatic brain injuries in the summer months and also during the holidays especially the week between Christmas and New Year's," says Dr. High, assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. The TBI Model System is a multi-center, national study of persons with TBI who have undergone rehabilitation services. TIRR is a participating site.

Brain injuries are most frequently caused by motor vehicle crashes, falls, athletic injuries, injuries during leisure activities like bicycling, or gunshot wounds. The most common of these are motor vehicle crashes.

"You always hear 'don't drink and drive because you may die,'" says Dr. Levin, clinical assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine. "People don't often hear 'don't drink and drive because you may be severely impaired for the rest of your life.'"

According to Dr. High, 60 to 70 percent of the brain injuries in the TBI Model System national database have some degree of alcohol involved.

"A lot of traumatic brain injuries are easily prevented," says Dr. Levin.

Dr. Francisco offers the following suggestions for reducing the risk of a traumatic brain injury this summer:

When bicycling or using inline skates...

• Wear a helmet.
• Don't try to show off.
• Avoid heavy traffic areas.
• Avoid bicycling at night unless you have the proper reflective equipment.

When traveling in a car...

• Wear a seat belt.
• Respect the speed limit.
• Obey the rules of the road.
• Do not drink and drive. "We're expected to see an increase in patients with problems especially as kids are out of school," says Dr. Francisco. "There's peer pressure to have a drink or two which may cause their reflex and judgment to be impaired."

When swimming...

• Make sure the pool is clear and that the person is diving at the appropriate depth. "In swimming pools, diving is a common direct cause of brain injuries and for spinal cord injury as well," says Dr. Francisco.
• No horseplay in the pool or pool area.
• Supervise children in and around swimming areas; have a buddy, even for adults.

"I have strong feelings against jet skis," says Dr. Francisco. "We've seen quite a number of unfortunate cases in the last few years because of near drownings."

- KRISTINA VAN ARSDEL

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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