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Are You Raising Responsible Kids?

When it comes to responsibilities for kids at home many things have changed since I was a kid.  When my generation was growing up most kids learned to cook, clean, tidy up after themselves, manage their own schedules and more.  Today, many kids are living in the “age of entitlement” where very few responsibilities fall on them, and many don’t know how to complete the simplest of household chores.

Teaching responsibility to kids by assigning them age-appropriate chores helps to build independence, a sense of self and prepares them for what lies ahead.

We encourage you to use this great FREE PRINTABLE to help kids become more responsible at home.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Discuss with your children some tasks they can help with on a daily basis and add these to the chart.  Be sure to review this with the kids, confirm the expectations, and get their commitment.

Here are some age-appropriate tasks or “chores” as suggestions:

Toddler (2-3)

  • Put dirty clothes in laundry basket
  • Help set the table for meals
  • Tidy toys after playing

Ages 4-5

  • Put toys away when finished
  • Make their bed
  • Clear dishes after meals
  • Prepare snacks/drinks
  • Feed pets

Ages 6-7

  • Fold laundry
  • Dust bedroom
  • Help prepare meals (with assistance)
  • Pack school lunches and backpack
  • Yard work (with assistance)

Ages 8-11

  • Load and unload the dishwasher
  • Operate laundry (with assistance)
  • Clean bedroom
  • Help put away groceries
  • Walk and care for pets
  • Make school lunches

Ages 12 +

  • Clean bathrooms
  • Vacuum
  • Prepare a meal
  • Look after younger siblings
  • Clean floors and surfaces
  • Do laundry from start to finish
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Preparing for Trial: The OT Expert

Rendering an expert opinion, being regarded as an expert, or even just having enough experience and expertise in your career to qualify for expert status is really a badge of honour.  Yet, that does not mean we jump up and down when called to trial.  Whether this is your first court appearance, or you are now an expert at being an expert, the process can still be nerve-wrecking for some and no, they don’t teach this stuff in OT school!

As an OT company with many experts who have been called to testify, or who have testified, we put together this short list of things to think about that might make the process easier for both first-time expert OT’s, or even seasoned professional.

1.  Have an updated and accurate CV.

Your CV tells a story of your skills, experience and highlights your career. Make sure the story is accurate, up to date, and represents a true picture about you and your background, knowledge and abilities.

2.  Check your Social Media.

Lawyers may use social media as a way to test credibility or to confirm that who you claim to be is truly who you are.  Suspicious selfies and inebriated pictures from the weekend will harm your reputation even before you testify.  If you truly are a professional, behave that way online.

3.  Am I really an expert?

You do not have to have numerous initials behind your name, or decades of experience, to be an expert.  If you have been called then chances are YES you are an expert of your own work and area! Have confidence and speak to what you know.

4.  Those reports that take so long to write do matter.   Every word.

Some things to think about:

  •  Do my words paint an accurate picture of the client?
  •  Could an untrained reader understand them?
  •  Did I do an adequate job of analyzing and reporting data?
  •  What does this data summary mean for the client?
  •  Are the goals I outlined measurable and obtainable?

5.  Analyze and understand the results of your standardized assessments, and be ready to explain that information in terms that an untrained person can understand.  

Be able to describe what all those numbers mean and how they relate to the client and your recommendations.

6.  Be prepared to explain why you recommended specific treatment methods and why they are valid.  

Review the client file and be able to speak to each recommendation and how it will impact the client.

7.  It’s okay to say, “I don’t know”.  

You are not expected to know it all! Be honest and tell the lawyers, judge and / or jury the truth when you do not know the answer to a question.   If you pretend to act like you know something when you don’t, your credibility and testimony will be questioned.

8.  Attorneys are intimidating.

Lawyers argue for a living. They are good at it!  But just remember that at the end of the day, attorneys are just people too doing their job. Both sides are trying to make a case for their client, as you made a case in your own report.  Don’t take it personally and be confident that the information you provide will help bring the case to resolution – one way or another.

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The Dreaded “How Are You Doing?” Question After an Injury…Ways to Cope

Written by Jacquelyn Bonneville, Occupational Therapist

Returning to work, school, leisure classes, or a social group can be very challenging when someone has spent a period of time as a ‘full-time patient’ or is engaging in lengthy rehabilitation.

Here are some of the techniques I recommend when someone asks you, “Where have you been?”

1. Who needs to know?

The only people who NEED to know about your injury/diagnosis are people who have a direct effect on that injury/diagnosis. Often, this is your medical and rehabilitation team (e.g. Family doctor, Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, Physiotherapist, Naturopath, Chiropodist). If an insurance company, WSIB, and/or lawyer are involved you will be asked to also provide consent to these professionals that will be very involved with your care. If you are receiving some type of subsidized pay, you may need to disclose diagnoses to a human resources personnel or union if applicable. If you are a student and require academic accommodations due to your diagnoses, the only person who may need details is your Student Accessibility Coordinator. Once again, these people are invested in your care and cannot disclose details to others.

Family, friends, loved ones, employers, co-workers, and teachers/principals do NOT need details of your injury/diagnoses, even if they ask.

2. So I shouldn’t tell any of my friends/family?

When considering whom to tell, balance the need for social support and sympathy with desire for privacy. Going through a recovery period can be isolating, and social support is highly recommended – but maybe you don’t want or need to tell them everything.

Of course, then there is the issue of stigma. The sad reality is that people with invisible disabilities (concussion, brain injury, mental illness) are judged. Also if there is an insurance company or lawyer involved, people may also judge just ‘how injured’ they think you really are. Of course, the issue isn’t with the victim – the problem lies with those who judge and discriminate against them. Your medical and rehabilitation team is the only group who knows just how injured you are, and is the only group who needs to know. Do not feel the need to defend yourself with accusers. However, given that this ignorance exists, it is wise to protect yourself from it when you can by using some productive avoidance communication strategies.

Ask yourself a few questions before you reveal details about your injury/disease:

  •         Why am I telling this person?
  •         What might this person do with the information I give them?
  •         Do I trust this person?
  •         How can this person help me if I tell them?
  •         How might I be harmed by talking to this person?

3. What do I say?

Part of your recovery will likely include slowly re-introducing yourself in your community, such as grocery shopping, going to the bank, or walking around your neighborhood. Running into people you knew before your injury/diagnoses can be a very stressful experience if you are not prepared. Many of my clients report fear that they will run into someone they know while trying to progress their recovery what do you say?

The best strategy is to come up with one to two LINES that you have prepared, categorized by who you don’t want to talk to and who you may want to talk to. Here’s what it looks like:

Have one sentence prepared for people that you DON’T want to disclose details to:

  • “I’ve had some private issues I had to deal with, but I’m getting better, thanks for asking.”
  •  “I’ve been ill (or had some things to deal with) but it’s getting better. I’m not really comfortable talking about it, though.”

Redirect the conversation if you don’t want to talk about it.

After you use ‘your line’, follow it up immediately with a question to deflect the conversation back on the person doing the probing. People love to talk about themselves – keep asking them questions!

  • “I’ve had some private issues I had to deal with, but I’m getting better, thanks for asking. How are your kids doing? Is your summer going well? I heard you got a new puppy, how’s that going?”

Have one sentence ready for people that you DO want to disclose some details to.

  •  “I’ve been ill (or had some things to deal with) but it’s getting better. I don’t mind talking about it if you’re curious.”
  •  “I’ve had some medical issues but I’m getting better, I should be back at work/school soon enough.”

Remain consistent with your answer no matter who should ask. Your answer should always be the same. Some people have an attention span problem so you’ll need to repeat this to them multiple times. Stick to your line, and people will eventually stop asking.

4.  Overall reminders for those in recovery:

  • Do not feel the need to justify your injury/diagnoses, especially if they are invisible.
  • Do not be afraid that by engaging in treatment or recommended activities in the community by a treatment team who knows you best, that you are doing something wrong.
  • Do not hermit yourself – this will stall your recovery.
  • Don’t be afraid to go out in your community during your recovery!
  • Do not completely withdraw socially – this will stall your recovery.
  • There are ways to reap the benefits of social support without having to disclose too much. Talk to your treatment team if this is hard for you.

“Do not waste your time trying to explain yourself to people that are committed to misunderstanding you.” – Shannon L. Alder

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Trouble Sleeping? We Have Solutions For You!

Do you have trouble sleeping at night?  You’re not alone!  There are many factors that can lead to sleep difficulties including: stress, work, family, lifestyle, diet and medical conditions.   Sleep is vital to our mental and physical health, and lack of sleep negatively affects productivity and function.  Check out our OT-V video “Improving Sleep” for OT recommended tips to achieve a better sleep.

 

 

Learn more helpful solutions for living in our OT-V video series.

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The Role of Occupational Therapy in Professional-Assisted Death

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Co-written with Pauline Tran, Student Occupational Therapist

Warning – sensitive topic!  Whether you agree or not with the moral, ethical and even religious implications of professional-assisted dying, the emerging laws about this are here and are a hot topic in health care.

Professional-Assisted Death (PAD) Explained

PAD includes both physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.

Physician- assisted suicide (PAS) is defined as the process by which a physician (of a sick and/or disabled individual), provides the patient with the medical means or knowledge which directly or indirectly leads to the death of the individual (Radbruch et al., 2015). In this, the authority then lies within the patient who has the choice and ability to either perform the final act themselves, or they can choose to terminate treatments and allow natural disease progression to take its final path.

Euthanasia, on the other hand, is defined as the process of which a medical professional intentionally ends a person’s life through the administration of drugs at the patient’s voluntary and competent request (Radbruch et al., 2015). In this, the authority lies with the medical professional administering the lethal drug.  Euthanasia can only be voluntary as medicalized killing without consent would be considered murder. With voluntary euthanasia, there are 2 types that apply to the involvement of medical professionals and their client(s):

o   Active Euthanasia- refers to when a medical profession or another person engages in an act that causes the patient to die

o   Passive Euthanasia – refers to when a medical professional either withdraws or withholds life- prolonging treatments or medications  leading to the death of the patient

Clearly, with the general healthcare mandate to “do no harm” and to essentially try and preserve life, there are significant ethical, professional and moral considerations and implications for all professionals involved.

The Canadian Government Legalized PAS:  What does this mean?

Bill C-14 (which actually amends the Criminal Code and makes related amendments to other Acts such as medical assistance in dying) was passed by the house of commons of Canada on April 14, 2016. Essentially this Bill legalises physician- assisted death in Canada. However, the following eligibility criteria must be met for those who wish to pursue medical assistance in dying:

a)      Adults must be eligible for health services funded by a government in Canada.

b)     Adults ages 18 years or older who are capable of making decisions in relation to their health.

c)      Have a grievous and irremediable medical condition outlined as:

a.      In the advanced state of a serious incurable disease, illness or disability

b.      Declining in functional capacity

c.      Moving towards end of life

d.      Does not have a specific prognosis or predicted time period for their death

d)     Have made a voluntary request for medical assistance in dying which was not made as a result from external pressure.

e)     They are provided with informed consent to receive medical assistance.

To summarize, Bill C-14 approves the act of medically assisted death for adults who meet the eligibility criteria above.

Motivation behind medical assisted death?

Before being involved in the creation or implementation of an end-of-life plan, it is important that all people understand the purpose behind the person’s desire to contemplate end-of-life options.  As a friend, family member, or healthcare professional, understanding the background and foundation for the person’s desire to die is pivotal to being able to provide helpful support, resources and assistance.

The following are some reasons why patients request help with assisted suicide:

  • Illness- related experiences

o   They suffer from physical, psychological, social or spiritual sufferings.

o   Side effects of medications and treatments

o   Unacceptable and unmanageable symptoms

  • Fear of future

o   Fear of future pain, suffering and pain management

o   Decreased quality of life

  • Sense of self and desire to have control over end of life decisions

o   Loss of control, function, independence

o   Being a burden to family members and others

o   Loss of identity, essence

Understanding the motivation behind requesting or asking about medically assisted death allows for all parties to understand where the patient is coming from and to help identify what they underlying issues the patient may be facing as a result of their illness or disability. This way, the request can be explored further truly client-centered care can be provided.

Occupational Therapy and Assisted Death

As Occupational Therapists (OT), we have a large role in assisting people to obtain a desired quality of life, and to function safely and independently.  However, we are also a client-centered profession that witnesses firsthand the often devastating impact of some illnesses, diseases and disabilities.  As such, we already play an important role in palliative care, and this involvement can extend into end-of-life planning as well.  For example, OT’s can enable people who are dying to engage in meaningful activities, roles, and occupations. OT’s can explore a client’s wish to die, can be part of the team of professionals helping to provide alternatives to end of life decisions, or can move forward with assisting the client to coordinate the process.  Our therapy can involve analyzing, reflecting, and exploring an individual’s life though their past roles and relationships to help bring peace and closure to the dying process.

Occupational Therapists can improve the assisted dying process across Canada as they are equipped agents of change. OT’s contribution to assisted dying care plans include:

o   Assisting with typing up lifetime occupational roles

o   Capacity assessments

o   Exploring alternatives

o   Creating meaningful memories

Through the help of OT, people will be more able to have a meaningful and thoughtful death experience, and can leave a coordinated and chosen legacy following.  OT’s have the skills to offer considerable contribution to end of life care and can help people to create meaningful occupation in death itself.

 

Resources and References

Salubre, J. A. T. (2015). Physician Assisted Suicide.

Pearlman, R. A., Hsu, C., Starks, H., Back, A. L., Gordon, J. R., Bharucha, A. J., … & Battin, M. P. (2005). Motivations for Physician‐assisted Suicide.Journal of general internal medicine, 20(3), 234-239.

assets.documentcloud.org/documents/2803276/C-14-Medical-assistance-in-dying.pdf

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1490083/

www.caot.ca/conference/2015/presentations/t26.pdf

onlinelibrary.wiley.com.libaccess.lib.mcmaster.ca/doi/10.1002/oti.89/pdf

www.osot.on.ca/imis15/TAGGED/News/Ontario_Commits_to_Policy_Design_for_Physician-Assisted_Dying.aspx

www.caot.ca/otnow/sept15/otnow_9_15.pdf

www.caot.ca/conference/2015/presentations/t26.pdf

mediasite.otn.ca/Mediasite/Play/3b224828e91740bbb16b7152138cdd381d?catalog=fd668812d87c47f9b1ba6d979fed9af421

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A Practical Guide to Barrier Free Design

There is a greater awareness in society that our buildings and spaces must be more accessible to all.  In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is ensuring that all businesses are accessible by 2025 in many ways, including design of public spaces.

Today we focus on the physical environment.  This is where barrier free design comes into focus.  What is barrier free design? It involves designing spaces, both public and private, to allow access for the greatest majority of people.

Some common barriers include:

  •  Curbs
  •  Uneven sidewalks
  •  Stairs
  •  Heavy doors
  •  Absence of handrails

In the following video from our OT-V series we discuss these obstacles and how occupational therapists promote accessibility, and assist individuals and businesses with creating a barrier free environment.

 

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The Power of Self-Advocacy

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Occupational therapists play an important role in helping people of all ages to function independently, to engage in meaningful activity, and to experience joy in life regardless of disability.  In this role, we are often in a position of advocate as we aim to help people achieve their most promising outcomes.  But even better than an OT swinging for the fences to help a client, are those clients that can metaphorically pick up the bat and hit it out of the park themselves.

Recently I read an article highlighting the power of self-advocacy.  The article spoke of a boy named Peter who has cerebral palsy.  Peter, as a result of reduced fine and gross motor control, was struggling to use the standard Play Station Controller.  He took it upon himself to email Sony’s support team to ask for help.  To his surprise, not only did he receive a response, but Sony’s team built and sent him a modified controller to use.  That is self-advocacy at work, and kudos to Sony for working with Peter to accommodate his needs.  (See the article here.)

Self-Advocacy

This story provides a great example of the power of self-advocacy. Self-advocacy refers to an individual’s ability to effectively communicate, convey or assert their own interests, desires, needs and rights. It’s the ability to speak up on your own behalf to ask for what you need.

Self advocacy skills can be broken down into 3 steps:

1.     Understanding your individual strengths and weaknesses,

2.     Knowing what supports or resources are available in order to succeed

3.     Communicating these needs to other people

Why is Self-Advocacy Important?

Self-advocacy is a vital part of being human and is a great skill to harness and utilize as it helps people to:

  •         Create solutions for challenges that they experience
  •         Develop independence and self-empowerment skills
  •         Ask for help and clarification
  •         Build self confidence
  •         Take risks and try new things
  •         Learn the benefits of effective communication
  •         Creates a sense of ownership, power and control over their situation and needs.

How Can OT’s help?

OT’s can assist in promoting self-advocacy in multiple ways.  First, OT’s recognize the importance of facilitating client independence and strive to help people to develop the confidence and skills to communicate their own needs and wants.  Often we can identify where people can be successful here, and where help might be needed.  We model appropriate advocacy behavior on behalf of our clients during interactions with other providers or stakeholders.  Or, when necessary, we advocate on a client’s behalf until they develop the skills to do this independently.

In the end, advocacy is becoming more and more important in the climate of restricted healthcare dollars.  So whether we are helping people access an important health service, to address a new problem, or sending an email to a major manufacturer about a video game console, assisting people to have a voice, or to develop a voice is a paramount part of great OT.

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Organization and Recovery From Brain Injury

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Last stop for Brain Injury Awareness Month – my favorite topic – organization!

photo 1

Yes, this is my drawer system to store pens, pencils, and markers. And if I find a pencil in the pen drawer look out! Perhaps being organized and knowing how to find what I need when I need it is one of the many ways I manage the demands of being a business owner and mother of four. But the reality is that we all have different levels of energy, tolerance and mental attention and these things can become depleted after a brain injury. So, if you were an energizer bunny with a DD battery before your injury, chances are your new batteries have been replaced with some AAA’s. This means that daily activities will take more time, more energy, and you will need to recharge sooner. So, considering this, do you really want to spend your valuable energy looking for stuff?

Consider that you have 10 units of brain capacity and energy when you wake in the morning. Every activity you have on your “to do” list takes one unit. Going for a walk, preparing supper, managing the laundry, responding to emails, attending an appointment, completing personal care, and having coffee with a friend all drain your battery. Some of these activities are necessary, some can be put off, and others are enjoyable. So what if you spend one unit of energy looking for your phone, keys, that bill that needs to be paid, your agenda, or those new runners you bought yesterday? What activity will come off your list when you have spent your energy to find something that with some organization would have taken you no time at all? Maybe you will call your friend to cancel, or order supper in again. Maybe the laundry will wait to tomorrow, or those emails will just keep accumulating. But this is unnecessary because you had the energy and cognitive ability to manage these things, it just became misdirected.

Often the focus of occupational therapy becomes helping people to organize their activities, their stuff or their time. Schedules and consistency are keys to helping people to understand the size of their battery and the amount of units each activity takes. This can be difficult when working with clients who did not need to be organized before an injury or illness, but the necessity of this following cannot be ignored. Even small steps to help people to be more organized can have a huge impact.

Helping clients with brain injury to become more organized can take many forms, depending on the client, the nature of their problems, and how they previously organized their stuff and their time. What I tend to witness is the time lost and sheer frustration that clients experience looking for cell phones, wallets and keys. Often, cell phones become used as a “second brain” assisting people to maintain a schedule and make appointments (calendar), remember things (task lists), have access to support systems (contacts, calls, text, email), and negotiate their environment (maps and GPS). If this gadget is so important, it is even more important that people know where it is. Having a catch tray by the front door, in their room, or a standard docking station can be helpful. Wallets and keys should also be left in a consistent location. I am sure we can all relate to that feeling of looking for our keys in their usual spot to find they are missing. But if you lack the ability to efficiently look for these, it could completely derail your day.

After the day to day items have a place, then we can work to simplify other spaces that are identified barriers to function. Perhaps the kitchen has become too cluttered to allow for efficient meal preparation, or the bills are piling up because these are lost in a stack of papers. In the world of insurance I find that clients become overwhelmed by paperwork and this results in missed appointments, non-response to time sensitive material, or failure to submit for expense reimbursement. Slowly, over time and with suggestions and tools (filing cabinets, labels, folders, a pen drawer!) clients become able to more efficiently spend their units of energy on things that are more important, or more fun and ideally, learn to transfer these strategies into other life areas independently – like work, school or parenting.

Originally posted June 30 2014

To read more of our articles on brain injury check out our section on Brain Health.

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Preventing Brain Injury

Julie Entwistle, MBA, BHSc (OT), BSc (Health / Gerontology)

Previously posted June1, 2015

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”  Benjamin Franklin

In recognition of Brain Injury Awareness month, I thought it would be fitting to start at the very beginning. PREVENTION. Really, it is the best medicine. For now, let’s forget about the symptoms of brain injury and its’ impact on work, home, school, and quality of life. Let’s not talk about how it is assessed and treated. Instead, let’s focus on trying to stop it from happening in the first place.

But even before that, we need to know what we are dealing with. It is well known that brain Injury is the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. In Canada, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is more common than breast cancer, spinal cord injury, HIV/AIDS, and multiple sclerosis (MS) combined. There are approximately 18,000 TBI hospitalizations annually. In the province of Ontario, 25% of the two million people diagnosed with a neurological condition have suffered from a TBI. In 2000-2001 brain injuries accounted for $151.7-million in direct costs to Canadians (1).

By way of distribution, TBI is most common in children (0-19) at 30%, followed by seniors (60+) at 29%. In kids, falls are the most common cause followed by motor vehicle accidents and then sports. In adults, motor vehicle accidents cause the most TBI’s, and in seniors the causes include falls (76%) followed by car accidents (2).

Knowing the causes helps to look at how we can engage in preventative strategies. As an occupational therapist with a background in health promotion, a parent of four, and athlete, here are my thoughts:

Falls

Kids fall all the time, so how can we prevent that? Well, there is a difference between a child falling when walking, running or jumping, versus falling from, say, a shopping cart, off of a playground structure, or from a tree they tried to climb. Falls from bikes, skateboards and scooters are going to happen – and a helmet can mean the difference between a head injury and not. The bottom line is that falls in kids are best prevented by proper adult supervision. Yes, it is that simple.

In seniors, falls take on a different form. They are not from carefree or reckless behavior, but often happen when someone is just trying to go about their day by having a shower, coming down the stairs, or taking a leisurely walk. Seniors need to be attuned to the physical, balance and vision changes they are experiencing as they age, and need to consider the importance of anti-slip mats in the bathroom, removing scatter mats, installing grab bars or railings, and the benefits of a walking stick or cane when outdoors. Seniors need to engage in regular exercise and activity to maintain bone density, mobility and intact balance. They have to be very careful when living with pets or when trying to negotiate places that are cluttered or dark. Awareness of declining abilities is the first key to addressing these properly such that a prevention plan can be developed that will ultimately improve safety and reduce the risks. Note that the services of an occupational therapist can be pivotal in creating this safety plan.

Check out our OT-V episode “Fall Prevention” for more helpful information.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Like falls, despite our best intentions, these can and do happen. The issue here is trying to minimize the risk and optimize the outcome. Safe drivers are attentive, undistracted, and alert. They travel at safe speeds, approach intersections with caution, stop behind the line, pass when appropriate, and recognize that rushing to get somewhere on time is useless if it means you never get there at all. Safe drivers don’t text or hold a phone to their ear, don’t eat a hamburger and steer with their knees, and don’t drive when tired. If you are one of these drivers you are going to increase your chances of avoiding a collision, and lower your chances of being the cause. Unfortunately, however, not everyone is a safe driver. So, all the rest of us can do is wear our seat belt, buy a car with a good safety rating, make sure everyone in the car is buckled properly, make sure the headrest is at a proper height, put loose belongings in the trunk (I know of a child who got a head injury from a flying jar of pickles that escaped the grocery bag during a collision), and follow the rules for child seats.

Sports

I am an avid athlete and have pretty much played or tried every sport. There are very few sports I dislike and I honestly feel that sports can be the most positive and influential outlet for young people, and one of the most engaging and social outlets for adults. The issue is that sports seem to be becoming more and more competitive, kids and adults are getting bigger and stronger, and the culture of some sports has changed from friendly competition to all-out war. Preventing head injury in sport can include outfitting your kids with proper equipment (many hockey parents spend more on a stick than a helmet), ensuring they are playing at their level, monitoring the coaching influence and team culture to make sure this is appropriate, and my favorite is from the book “The Secrets of Successful Families” and includes that the only job of a parent in organized sport is to “shut up and cheer”. No parent should be on the sidelines encouraging reckless, mean or harmful behavior. The results can be devastating. And if you are concerned about your child’s risk of head injury in sport, know that there are many other sports that reduce the risk but are equally as challenging, competitive, fun and have the same physical, cognitive and developmental benefits.

So, let’s start our recognition of Brain Injury Awareness Month by practicing prevention. It does not have to be easier said than done.