HALIFAX – A Halifax doctor wants parents to make their children wear helmets when sledding to reduce the risk of serious head injuries.
Dr. Kevin Gordon, a pediatric neurologist at the IWK, said he sees at least a handful of sledding-related head injuries every winter and that some cases can be very serious.
“I’ve been dealing with at least one person who has had a long haul after a sledding injury where it really set that person back for a significant length of time and there’s been some disability that we’re working with to get through that,” he said.
Gordon is advocating for parents to equip their children with helmets when they go sledding, adding it shouldn’t be treated any differently than other sports.
“Helmets prevent head injury. When your kid is going to be going fast enough to get a head injury, it’s skiing or snowboarding or any snow sport that involves speed. The one we don’t talk about is tobogganing,” he said.
He said the risks are obvious.
“All of us remember it was really fun going down those hills but there was always a tree somewhere down that hill. That tree isn’t going to move when you hit it,” he said.
“We can prevent head injuries.”
Parents have differing opinions on wearing helmets
Anne Biezien took her two children and their cousins to Gorsebrook Park on Monday to go sledding. She said the family goes sledding almost every week but she had not thought about making them wear helmets until approached by Global News.
“I think it’s a good idea.”
But Sophie Pilipczuk, who has two young children who occasionally sled, said she doesn’t think helmets are necessary and may actually be restrictive.
“We’re not doing extreme sports. We’re going down a fairly gentle slope,” she said.
“The thing that concerns me with helmet laws in general is that they seem to put the onus on the users to have to buy the gear. I feel like instead of being able to just go and be active outside and have a good time, we’re spending a lot of money and time worrying about safety.”
Pilipczuk said her children wear helmets when skating and biking but she would not tell her children they can’t go sledding if they did not have helmets.
“I think it’s important that we leave room for play and maybe worry less.”
Norm Farthing’s children go sledding a handful of times every winter. He said that they do not wear helmets right now but admits he hadn’t given the idea much thought.
“Head injuries are a big deal and nobody wants to have that, especially for their children,” he said. “It’s probably a good idea on steep hills.”
“I don’t see it being a bad thing or idea. Again in my backyard where there’s maybe a 10 degree slant, that would probably be overkill.”
Doug Brown takes his son Keith, eight years old, sledding quite often. He said he would not make his children wear a helmet on the small hill in front of their house but said it may be a good idea for places such as Citadel Hill or the hills in Gorsebrook Park.
“I could see it being a good idea to wear a helmet just because of the speed people are traveling at,” he said.
“I would be open to it certainly in those areas that would make sense, it’s very similar to a ski hill.”
Doctor says helmets should be introduced at an early age
Dr. Gordon emphasizes that helmets may reduce the prevalence of concussions.
“At the end of the day, it’s about making safe decisions. These are the risks. We can’t bubble wrap our kids. We can’t protect them from everything,” he said.
Gordon said it is important to start the behaviour when children are young so it becomes a habit and notes it is something he is enforcing in his own family.
“If you start early, my grandchild in particular, he’s never not going to wear a helmet because it’s just going to be a part of life for him,” Gordon said.
“Try to convince a kid who is 15 to wear a helmet while skateboarding when they haven’t worn one for the past two or three years. It’s not cool. If I have a kid in my office who has had several concussions, they’re very good about it afterwards because they realize what they’re good at preventing.”
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