Skateboarding injuries in children. A second wave
J. Retsky, D. Jaffe and K. Christoffel
Department of Pediatrics, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
Motivated by a number of skateboard-related injuries seen in an emergency
department, we undertook an investigation of skateboarding injuries in the
mid-1980s. We studied US Consumer Product Safety Commission injury
frequency estimates, which indicated a resurgence of these injuries: 19,182
in 1984 and 37,180 in 1985. Children 10 to 14 years old were injured with
greatest frequency. Nontrivial injuries were more common among children
younger than 5 years old, reflecting a larger proportion of head and neck
injuries. Boys sustained more frequent and more severe skateboard-related
injuries. Observed injury patterns (head and neck injuries in younger
children, extremity injuries in older children, and more severe head and
neck injuries in older children) probably reflect the role of psychomotor
development on both risk exposure and biomechanics. Likely prevention
strategies include warnings against skateboard use by children younger than
5 years, prohibition of skateboards on streets and highways, and the
promotion of use of helmets and other protective gear.
