Question: My son loves to skateboard, but he refuses to wear a helmet because, as he says, “none of the other kids wear them.” My husband believes that all of this helmet-wearing is just a “marketing hype” and that it isn’t necessary. He insists that he never wore a helmet when he was growing up, and he is fine. Can you give me some information that might help me to change their minds?
Answer:Â We are getting to the time of year when people engage in skateboarding, bicycling and rollerblading — all activities typically conducted over cement and hard surfaces. Sports-related head injuries lead to more than 750,000 hospitalizations annually, just in the United States. Many of these require a visit to the emergency room or, at least, urgent care. Fortunately, only a few result in death or permanent injury.
In spite of these data, many parents, like your husband, still question the need for helmets. But without head protection…Â Details