Yale-New Haven Hospital is pleased to present its latest annual report, which tells the stories of six patients who put their lives in the hands of the staff at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
One was an auto accident victim, another was a high-risk maternity patient; one had cancer; one needed a liver transplant and two had serious cardiac problems. Some of these patients might not have survived had they gone to another hospital ? and all of these patients ended up grateful that they put their trust in the care and expertise at Yale-New Haven Hospital.
The report also includes: the 2007 financial statement and comparative statistics; a year-end report from the chief executive officers; a list of the hospital?s management and medical staffs; and the names of donors and companies who provided financial support during the past year.
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News this monthBicycle-related injuries result in more emergency department visits than from any other recreational sport
Preventing
bicycle-related injuries
Each year in the United States, about 500,000 children are injured and 250 die in bicycling accidents.
Head injuries are one of the most serious ways that children get hurt while riding their bicycles. Children should always wear helmets, and parents should model this protective measure as well. The American Medical Association calls helmets the single most cost-effective safety device ever made.
Children will learn to ride a bike when they are ready. It is important to never push a child to ride a bike. When children are very young, a smart way to teach them bicycle safety is by example. Today?s child safety carriers and other options give parents the opportunity to spend quality time with their children while introducing them to the joys of riding.
'The American Medical Association calls helmets the single most cost-effective safety device ever made.'
Because children mature both physically and emotionally at differing rates, there?s no magic age to introduce a child to a "big kid?s" bike. But in general, most 4- or 5-year-olds have acquired the motor skills needed to mount and balance a bicycle. When buying a bike, make sure it fits your child. Do not buy a bike that your child will have to grow into. Oversized bikes are especially dangerous.
For full protection, a helmet should sit low on the head ? about an inch above the eyebrows ? and the chinstrap should be snug. Wearing a helmet far back on the head or very loosely will not protect the head. Also, be aware that Connecticut state law requires all children age 16 and under to wear a bicycle helmet on public roads.
An infant who cannot hold up his head when wearing a small helmet should not ride on a bike. Young children who can sit well unsupported and whose necks can support wearing bike helmets should ride in rear-mounted seat carriers. Children with special needs may require adapted seating to safely secure them on a bike or carrier.
When children and teenagers are injured in bike accidents, the most commonly affected anatomic areas are the upper and lower extremities, head, neck and trunk. According to a recent article in American Family Physician, the injuries may range in severity from bruises, contusions and "road rash" to full multi-system trauma.
Although less common, bike accidents occurring from vehicular trauma tend to be worse than off-road biking injuries, and they have a higher fatality rate. Chronic overuse injuries in dedicated or competitive bike riders may also present in the form of saddle sores or neuropathy of the wrist.
At Yale-New Haven Children?s Hospital (YNHCH), the entire range of pediatric specialists are available to care for children and teenagers injured in bike accidents; from pediatric neurosurgery and maxillofacial surgeons to pediatric general and orthopedic surgeons.
Comprehensive care of the pediatric trauma patient injured in a bicycle accident begins in the YNHCH emergency department, the only designated pediatric Level 1 trauma service in Connecticut. For less acute physical problems, outpatient care for children with bike injuries is also available in the orthopedic department of the Yale School of Medicine at the Yale Physicians Building.
Dr. Smith is chief of pediatric orthopedics at Yale-New Haven Children?s Hospital and associate professor of orthopedics at Yale School of Medicine.Bicycles offer children a sense of accomplishment and, for older children and adolescents, a feeling of freedom and mobility. But there are risk factors in bike riding and when a child takes a tumble, injuries as minor as scraped knees and as severe as death can occur.
Wearing a properly fitted and safety-approved bicycle helmet can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent.
Children and adolescents age 20 years and younger comprise more than half of the estimated 85 million bicycle riders in the U.S. and account for more emergency department visits than from any other recreational sport.
A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children?s Hospital estimates that approximately 10,700 children are hospitalized annually for bicycle-related injuries in the U.S. The average length of stay is three days.
The study, published in the October 2007 issue of Injury Prevention, concludes that bicycle-related injuries among children and adolescents in the U.S. may be a more significant public health concern then previously estimated. The study also estimates that bicycle-related injuries among children and adolescents result in nearly $200 million in hospital inpatient charges annually.
"Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except automobiles," said Gary Smith, MD, DRPH, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy and one of the study authors. " The high rate of hospitalization and the use of healthcare resources identified in our study supports the need for increased attention to bicycle-related injuries." The study analyzed patient and injury characteristics associated with bicycle injuries using a nationally representative sample. Among the significant findings: motor vehicles were involved in approximately 30 percent of bicycle-related hospitalizations, and the association with motor vehicles increased among older children.
In addition, one-third of children hospitalized for a bicycle-related injury were diagnosed with traumatic brain injury, a statistic that is significant for its correlation to the number of injuries that may be preventable through the use of bicycle helmets.
"Studies have shown that wearing a properly fitted and safety-approved bicycle helmet can reduce head injuries by up to 85 percent," said John T. Gill, MD, spokesman for the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. " However, only about half of cyclists bother to put on a helmet before they ride."
According to Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injuries, in children age 14 and under, more than 80 percent of bicycle-related fatalities are associated with the bicyclist?s behavior.
For example, riding into a street without stopping, turning left or swerving into traffic that is coming from behind, running a stop sign, and riding against the flow of traffic all contribute to injuries. Nearly 60 percent of all childhood bicycle-related deaths occur on minor roads.
"The findings from our study can be used to promote targeted prevention strategies to lessen the severity of injury and the number of deaths resulting from pediatric bicycle-related injuries," said Dr. Smith.
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Related links and online resources
For more information on this topic:
Other pediatric resources
Previous issues of HealthLINK ? Pediatrics
- July 2007 - Obese children more than twice as likely to have diabetes
- February 2007 - Sleep problems linked to lower IQ scores and learning impairments
- December 2006 - Children who need emergency care have better outcomes at pediatric trauma centers
- July 2006 - Study shows sports drinks can cause tooth decay
- May 2006 - Warning urged for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity drugs
- December 2005 - Revised recommendations on reducing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- December 2005 - Revised recommendations on reducing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
- September 2005 - New meningococcal vaccine recommended
- August 2005 - Increase in adult-type injuries among children and adolescents
- March 2005 - Food allergen labeling
- February 2004 - Throw out syrup of ipecac
- August 2003 - Preemies show gains over time
- April 2003 - Potty training study offers answers
- February 2003 - Can booster seats save lives?
- July 2002 - Eye drops as effective as patching?
- May 2002 - Scooter, skateboard injuries rise with popularity
- April 2002 - Looking at asthma in preschoolers
- November 2001 - The cost of getting the flu
- Archive
