In an editorial in this week’s Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), experts report that Of the 600,000 ski- and snowboard-related injuries each year, up to 20% result in traumatic brain injury (TBI)…many times resulting in serious disability or death.

The editorial calls for a widespread change in the culture of snow sports so that helmet are not only required, but accepted and encouraged in the same way bicycle helmets have been adopted by casual and serious bikers. As a firm that sees a lot of people with TBI, we echo that call for change.

For any sport with speed or risk of falls, helmets are a smart way to protect your smarts!

I read with great interest a recent article describing some of the issues that can come about when a seemingly minor head injury turns deadly.  This issue really became a focus of national attention after actress Natasha Richardson suffered a skiing accident on a beginner slope and died, leading the media to adopt the phrase “Talk and Die Syndrome”.  I still worry about these situations, especially when they involve children because so many parents, me included, do not ever want to think that a bump on the head can turn serious.  However, it remains our job to stay vigilant and investigate any bump on the head as potentially being more serious than it appears.   I personally take the view that it is better to overreact to a possible head injury and make what may be an unnecessary trip to the ER, rather than to minimize it and risk a nightmarish outcome.  To view the entire article, follow this link:

http://www.gantdaily.com/news/43/ARTICLE/54739/2009-06-21.html