Introduction to Broken Bones
Although there are numerous types of fractures or broken bones, they all mean the same thing – a bone is in some way, “broken.” Fractures happen to be among the most common orthopedic problems, with about 6.8 million who need medical attention each year in the United States. The average citizen in a developed country…
Bus Accidents- Fact Summary
If society believes seatbelts are desirable and necessary, then it’s a grave oversight for schools not to offer our children that choice. This lifesaving habit comes to a halt every September when the school year begins, as we send our children off to school on beltless buses. The arguments against seatbelts on school buses are…
Personal Watercraft Laws
The popularity of personal watercraft (wet jets, wave runners, sea dogs, jet skis) has exploded over the last several years. Unfortunately, along with this popularity has come a dramatic increase in injuries. Minnesota Laws ALL personal watercraft are considered motorboats. Thus, laws that govern any other motorboats also apply to personal watercraft. The following is…
Chemical Burns
If a chemical burns the skin, follow these steps: Remove the cause of the burn by flushing the chemicals off the skin surface with cool, running water for 20 minutes or more. If the burning chemical is a powder-like substance such as lime, brush it off the skin before flushing. Remove clothing or jewelry that…
Minnesota Personal Watercraft Laws
DON’T MEET BY ACCIDENT Many boaters in Minnesota enjoy the exciting sport of riding personal watercraft (PWC). These speedy little craft now make up over four percent of registered boats in the state. Although the number of personal watercraft accidents is declining, inexperienced riders still seem to account for many mishaps. They may not be…
Electrical Burns
An electrical burn may appear minor, but the damage can extend deep into the tissues beneath your skin. If a strong electrical current passes through your body, internal damage such as a heart rhythm disturbance or cardiac arrest can occur. Sometimes the jolt associated with the electrical injury can cause you to be thrown or…
Burns: Treatment Centers
A burn is an injury to tissue that can be caused by heat, chemicals or electricity. While burns most often affect the skin, deeper burns can injure tissue well below the skin’s surface. In addition, internal burns may occur to the esophagus and stomach when extremely hot liquids are ingested and to the lungs when…
Burns: Type of Burns
To distinguish a minor burn from a serious burn, the first step is to determine the degree and the extent of damage to body tissues. These three classifications will help you determine emergency care: First-degree The least serious burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin (epidermis) is burned. The skin is…
Brain Injury: Proving a Lifetime Disability
Head injuries bring more than 400,000 people to hospitals every year. Approximately three-quarters are diagnosed as having suffered a mild to moderate injury – injuries that can be subtle, persistent, and potentially long term. Demographically, three quarters of the survivors are males, one half of whom are ages 15 to 34. They are the "go…
School Bus Safety: Minnesota Department of Public Safety
Your children can have a lot of fun taking the bus to school every day. And, making them aware of the safety rules below can make every ride a safe and happy one. Getting Ready for the Bus: Be on time for the bus. Leave home on time. Get to your bus stop about five…
Guideline for the Safe Transportation of Pre-school Age Children in School Buses
School age children transported in school buses are safer than children transported in motor vehicles of any other type. Large school buses provide protection because of their size and weight. Further, they must meet minimum Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS’s) mandating compartmentalized seating, improved emergency exits, stronger roof structures and fuel systems, and better…
Seat Belts in New School Buses
Students Are At Risk There have been at least 62,000 pupil injuries in reported school bus accidents in the period 1991 to 1996. There were at least 59 passenger fatalities. (Accident Facts, National Safety Council 1992-97 editions; Fatal Accident Reporting System) Research done by CNN shows that school bus passenger injuries have risen by 94%…
Additional Sources for Traumatic Brain Injury
What Research Is Being Done for the Cognitive and Communication Problems Caused by Traumatic Brain Injury? Researchers are studying many issues related to the special cognitive and communication problems experienced by individuals who have traumatic brain injuries. Scientists are designing new evaluation tools to assess the special problems that children who have suffered traumatic brain…
Expert Involved in Treating Traumatic Brain Injury
Neurologist Physiatrist Neuropsychologist Respiratory or pulmonary therapists Physical therapist Occupational therapist Speech pathologist Cognitive therapist Vocational rehabilitation counselor Educational therapist Social worker Therapeutic recreational specialist Rehabilitation case manager Pediatric neurologist Neurologist Neurologist What is a neurologist? A neurologist is a medical doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain…
Head Injury Impact Early Head Blows, Alzheimer’s Linked
10/23/00 – Veterans who had serious head injuries decades ago now have a higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a finding that suggests serious blows to the head may somehow cause long-term brain damage, researchers said today. The more severe the head injury, the greater the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, the teams at the U.S. National…
FRACTURES- Overview
What bones are made of "Thank goodness it’s only a fracture. I thought it might be broken." People often think that a fracture is less severe than a broken bone, but fractures are broken bones. To understand why bones break, it helps to know what bones do and what they are made of. The bones…
Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
A person with a suspected brain injury should contact a physician immediately, go to the emergency room, or call 911 in the case of an emergency. After an impact to the head, a person with a brain injury can experience a variety of symptoms but not necessarily all of the following symptoms. This information is…
The Road to Rehabilitation
Brain Injury Association of America Creating a better future through brain injury prevention, research, education and advocacy. Introduction Everyone has experienced pain at one time or another. Although most individuals find it bothersome, many of them are able to continue going about their activities of daily living (ADLs) despite the pain. However, for some persons,…
“What to Expect after TBI”
By Tom Novack, PhD Presented at the Recovery after TBI Conference, Sept, 1999 Cognitive Difficulties after TBI The cognitive difficulties experienced by people after traumatic brain injury (TBI), often have more impact on their recovery and outcome than their physical limitations. Most people with traumatic brain injury, even those that are severe in degree, are…
Alcohol and Drugs
Minnesota law prohibits anyone from boating while intoxicated (BWI)—that is, operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance or other illegal chemical. Alcohol and drugs cause impaired balance, blurred vision, poor coordination, impaired judgment (you’re more inclined to take risks when drinking), and slow reaction time. Alcohol contributes to about one-third…