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Head Trauma, Hip Fractures and Extremity Injuries from Falls can Change Your Life in an Instant. Plum’s Award-Winning Falls SafetyWear™ Help Keep You Safe from the Dangers of Falls. Freedom… Safety… Empowerment. For Life.™

Head Trauma

07Jun

Long Term Effects of Childhood Head Injuries

Head Trauma

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children. The most common causes of TBI in children: falls.  One cause of the frequency of toddler head injuries is that the toddler’s head is his center of gravity, proportionally larger than the rest of his body, and hence can easily propel him forward or backward.  As parents we want to give our babies and toddlers freedom to explore their new world. But we also want to protect our toddler’s head in the process. We wonder whether all the bumps, falls, tumbles, and “mild” head injuries are serious, or could be serious long term, especially when our child gets up and keeps going.

The short answer to that is: Yes.

Traumatic brain injury during the first 3 years of life is completely different when compared with adults. Children are not young adults. The scalp in children is highly vascularized [developing many blood vessels]. Even a small loss of blood volume can lead to hemorrhagic shock in a newborn, infant, and toddler, which may occur without apparent external bleeding.

Childhood brain injuries, including concussions, are associated with an increased risk of subsequent mental illness, poor school attainment and premature death, according to a new study.

People who had experienced a single mild, moderate or severe brain injury during childhood were at twice the risk of being admitted to hospital as a mental health inpatient and were 50% more likely to use a mental health service than unaffected people in the same age group.

Many studies indicate far-reaching and long-term consequences of child head injury.  And thus reinforces what we knew already — that prevention is key. It is easier to prevent head injury than to cure or recover from head injury.

The challenge is to protect the toddler’s head in a  comfortable and effective manner that  addresses the unique and critical head safety needs of small children.  Protective Headgear for small children must be very comfortable, very lightweight, custom-fitting so it does not slide around, have full head coverage and of course, been proven safety effective in absorbing impact energy from a bump or fall.

Those crucial criteria are found in  Plum Enterprises’s ProtectaCap®, the protective headgear specifically engineered and designed to meet the critical head safety needs of babies, toddlers and small children.  More information can be found on ProtectaCap.com.

 

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Plum's® Fall Protection Clothing Keeps Seniors Safe Active
19Aug

The Danger of Falls in Older Adults

Elbow Pads, Head Trauma, Hip Fractures, Hip Protection, Plum News

Falls are increasingly common in older adults. As the country ages, falls are becoming epidemic.  Decreased mobility, isolation, cognitive impairment and depression are among many major symptoms of fall-related injuries in older adults. While some falls may be prevented, most falls cannot, leaving the adult child of an older parent or the caregiver feeling guilty and overwhelmed.  Fall prevention including vision checking, removing loose carpets, installing hand rails, and better lighting can be helpful. However, many individuals maintain safe and active lifestyles with fall protection clothing, such as protective headgear and hip protectors that are lightweight, comfortable, attractive and proven superior in safety effectiveness, such as Plum’s® Fall Protection Clothing.  While a fall cannot always be prevented, fall injuries can be with Plum’s® Fall Safety ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® helmets and ProtectaHip® hip protectors. Preventing a head injury or hip fracture from a fall is a thousand times easier than curing the results and morbidity from a head injury or a hip fracture, particularly in older adults.

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Plum® Keeps Seniors Safe with Fall Protection ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® Helmets Misconceptions About Head Injuries In Adults” is locked Common Misconceptions About Head Injuries In Adults
04Jul

Common Misconceptions About Head Injuries In Adults

Head Trauma, Plum News, Protective Headgear, Protective Helmets

Every year, upwards of 1.4 million Americans experience a brain injury, as indicated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Head injuries in adults can be caused by anything from a crash to a fall in the shower. In consideration of the fact that some brain injuries in adults can be hard to notice, especially those that are purported as “mild” wounds, they are regularly misdiagnosed or neglected. 

People often used words like “head trauma,” “head injury,” “brain injury,” and “traumatic brain injury” and even allude to some injuries to the head as a bump or a blow. Brain injuries in adults can vary from mild to severe, and the symptoms can be indistinct. In agreement with Vani Rao, MD, Director, Brain Injury Program, and Neuropsychiatrist, “There is no such thing as a mild head injury. It’s a misnomer.” The truth is, you don’t need to involved in a serious accident to endure a brain damage. Some frequent reasons of brain injuries in adults include falls, car crashes, workplace accidents, assaults, other violent attacks, contact sports like football, and non-contact sports or activities such as biking. 

Individuals who suffer serious head injuries often endure other traumatic injuries, which makes the rehabilitation of traumatic brain injuries an intricate process and the interception of hypoxia difficult. It is also common for individuals suffering from a brain injury to encounter periods of unconsciousness after a head injury or an accident. In other cases, exceptionally serious brain injuries can happen without the loss of awareness.

When worn properly, protective helmets can be effective in preventing brain injuries while protecting one’s head from hard surfaces, collisions with other players, and falls.

In line with the Alzheimer’s Association findings, “falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury for all ages, and falling poses an especially serious risk for older adults.” Falls can result in hip fractures, broken bones, and head injuries. And sometimes falls even without a major injury, especially in older adults, can also cause them to become fearful or depressed, making it difficult for them to stay active. As stated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Fall-related injuries are epidemic A head injury or hip fracture can change a life in a matter of seconds.  Head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in adults.  Every 15 seconds a traumatic brain injury occurs. Every 18 seconds an older adult is treated in an emergency department for a fall. Every 35 minutes, one of these adults dies as a result of his or her injuries.” 

Protective helmets and other protective headgear diminish the possibility of a serious traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a crash by safeguarding the head on impact, as well as reduce the chance of damages that could be inflicted as a result of the collision. Plum’s®  custom-fitting ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® absorb and dissipate impact energy during the fall. The protection reduces the momentum of the impact of the fall to the head. Plum’s protective headgear custom-fit virtually all head shapes and sizes

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Plum® Keeps Seniors Safe with Fall Protection Helmets and Hip Protectors
03Jul

Reduce Nursing Home Fall Injuries in Older Adults

Elbow Pads, Head Trauma, Hip Fractures, Hip Protection, Plum News, Safety Products

Fall injuries in medical facilities and nursing homes are a noteworthy threat to the life and well-being of their residents. Some fall injuries in older adults can cause traumatic brain damage leading to temporary unconsciousness, seizures and in even result in death. During an overview of fall risks and how to avoid them, Merck Manuals noted that “falls reportedly contribute to over 40% of nursing home admissions … And, at least 50% of nursing home residents fall.” 

Considering the fact that falls are a dangerous and possibly life-threatening form of injury for seniors, many nursing homes and other long-term care facilities take preventive measures to reduce fall injuries. Indeed many patients are prone to suffer severe fall injuries if the facilities do not take necessary precautions.

People who have fallen before are at a higher risk of falling again. Even though repetitive falls in these individuals are often caused by the same things, the falls can also be a sign of disease progression in cases like Parkinson’s and dementia, or other intense problems. A majority of seniors in healthcare facilities are fall risks for several reasons. Those factors include but are not limited to conditions like gait and balance problems, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, poor vision, muscle weakness and medications. 

Many healthcare facilities take proactive measures to prevent fall injuries by installing bed alarms. However, the reality is that it is not always possible for a healthcare worker to reach the patient in time.  Moreover, healthcare workers often risk injury to themselves when trying to break a patient’s fall, and can even inadvertently cause greater harm to the patient.

The two most common and dangerous areas of injury from a fall in older adults are the head and hip area. A proven way to prevent fall injuries is with  protective headgear and hip protectors, specifically Plum’s® ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® protective headgear and ProtectaHip® hip protectors,  proven superior in both fall protection as well as amazing comfort for compliance.

While we are on the topic of preventing falls and maintaining balance with Parkinson’s disease, it’s absolutely necessary to mention that falls are the second most common cause of hospitalization in Parkinson’s patients. Some frequent injuries sustained during these falls include not only head and traumatic brain injuries but also hip and pelvic fractures, broken bones, and spinal injuries.

The objective is not just a matter of eliminating falls altogether because the reality is that falls happen in life and particularly with increasing age, apart from the fact that some conditions can increase the prospect. For that reason, the focus shouldn’t be on prevention only but importantly on diminishing the scope of the impact of the falls. As stated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) “Prevention program emphasis should shift away from a focus on preventing falls as a measure of quality care to decreasing Fall-related injuries (FRIs).” 

At this point, there has been plenty of evidence supporting the benefits of physical exercise for the elderly, and the activities do not need to be too aggressive. The types of exercises that are best suited for older adults are often characterized as ‘moderate’. Even so, it’s always recommended that you speak with a health professional prior to starting any new physical activities to determine your limits. Besides Plum’s® protective helmets and hip protectors, Plum’s® ProtectaWrap® protective splints provide targeted extremity fall  protection for knees, elbows, shins and forearms. It is never too late to adopt a  healthier lifestyle with proactive fall protection to improve your balance, reduce your fall risk and maintain your healthy active lifestyle.
Fall injuries are preventable and do not have to be a normal part of aging.

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Plum's® ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® Helmets for head in jury prevention
30Jun

Keeping People with Special Needs Safe From Head Injuries from Falls

Head Trauma, Protective Headgear, Protective Helmets, Safety Products

Many caregivers and guardians frequently assume that only children with special needs are at risk for falling but the same can be true for adolescent and older adults as a result fall injuries. No age group is completely safe from head trauma, and the utilization of dependable safety headgear is of extreme importance for both children and adults, particularly those individuals with certain medical conditions, special needs, balance concerns, epilepsy or seizures.

There has been extensive research conducted on the impacts of wearing a protective cap to reduce the risk of head injuries originated as a result of a collision. In actuality, even a fall from a low elevated surface such as a bed can result in head trauma. 

To determine the best type of helmet, begin by remembering that a good helmet also needs to be adjustable so that it is snug, lightweight, stays put and is very comfortable. Regardless of the direction in which the individual falls, the protective helmet should minimize the impact so it is crucial that the headgear stays on securely during the fall. 

Some types of epilepsy make the person inclined to drop attacks, these seizures lead to individuals falling wherever it occurs. Those people should protective helmets to protect their heads in the event that they fall against concrete or any other hard surface. In fact, Plum’s® ProtectaCap® custom-fitting protective headgear is recommended by the Epilepsy Foundation. Protective headgear is also important for individuals with hemophilia, autism, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, people who are at risk for head injuries and for post surgery following craniotomy, craniotomy and shunts.  The most important criteria for choosing a protective helmet are its proven superior safety effectiveness and a lightweight comfortable fit.  Plum’s® ProtectaCap® custom-fitting protective headgear and ProtectaCap+Plus® advanced fall safety protective helmet meet those criteria.

Sometimes a protective helmet can make a huge difference between a minor fall and a trip to the emergency room at the hospital. As the Boston Medical Center indicated “For children who have frequent seizures that cause them to fall to the ground, helmets are recommended”.  

 

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Plum® Keeps Kids Safe and Active with Fall Protection ProtectaCap® and ProtectaCap+Plus® Helmets head injuries, head trauma, brain injury, protective helmets
29Jun

What You Should Know About Common Head Injuries in Children

Head Trauma, Protective Helmets

A preventative strategy is an ideal approach to managing head injuries in children. In fact research demonstrates that most head injuries in children are often foreseeable and preventable. It is probably not a surprise to anyone at this point that there have been thousands of studies directed at the number of childhood head injuries.

While the research may focus on various specific topics, they all have one thing in common:  the likelihood and frequency of childhood head injuries and the necessity to prevent injuries in babies, toddlers and small children. Actually, children age 4 and younger are at highest risk of falling and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).  Protective headgear for small children reduces the risk of a significant brain injury and even death, because children’s heads are much more fragile and vulnerable to head trauma.

But just as important as wearing a protective helmet is wearing the right protective headgear. A helmet must fit properly as well as provide proven safety effectiveness. Plum Enterprises offer a wide selection of superior quality protective helmets for children. In fact, Plum’s® ProtectaCap® custom-fitting protective headgear was designed to meet the specific head safety criteria of babies, toddlers and small children

In light of what we now know about concussions and head injuries in small children,  it is important to take necessary means of precaution to protect their vulnerable heads.

As stated by The Centers for Disease Control “Recovery from a concussion is slower among young children. And those who have had a concussion are at higher risk of having another concussion.”

Children are not small adults.  Their vulnerability to head trauma is far greater and has long-reaching consequences into their adulthood.  This is why childhood head injury prevention is crucial for the health and wellbeing of our children during their childhood and for the rest of their lives.

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