Nebraska Injury Prevention and Control News
    Issue #68                                                    March 2017
Injury Prevention in the News
Laundry Pods Pose Danger to Young Children

A recent U.S. study found that as concentrated laundry detergent pods are becoming more common, so are chemical eye injuries among young children.

Laundry pods were responsible for more than a quarter of 3 and 4-year-olds admitted to emergency rooms with chemical eye burns in 2015.

To see how laundry pod-related eye injuries have changed over time, the researchers analyzed data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, which provides national estimates of product-related injuries.

Read the full article from Reuters here
Half of Traffic Deaths in Children & Young People Related to Alcohol; Stronger Laws Reduce Traffic Mortalities

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among children and adolescents. A study " Alcohol Policies and Alcohol-Related Motor Vehicle Crash Fatalities Among Young People in the U.S.," published in the March 2017 Pediatrics found that state policies were effective tools in reducing mortality.

Researchers looked at 84,756 motor vehicle fatalities of young people under the age of 21 in the United Stated between 2000 and 2013. They found 28-percent were killed in accidents where the driver had an alcohol level above the legal limit, and half died in accidents in which the driver tested positive with any level of alcohol greater than zero. Researchers found that states with stronger alcohol policies had fewer deaths.

This is the first study to take a comprehensive look at the total impact of relevant policies and laws in different states, and it suggests that stronger laws are effective in reducing deaths. Zero tolerance laws, which prohibit driving after any amount of drinking for individuals 20 years of age or younger, have been associated with a decrease in death in motor vehicle crashes by approximately 20-percent.

To read the full article click  here
Upcoming Events
Car Seat Technician Statewide Update
 
Nebraska Child Passenger Safety Technician Update/Training

Wednesday, April 19, 2017
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Nebraska Innovation Campus
2021 Transformation Dr. Lincoln, NE 68508

    Nebraska Highway Safety Conference

Tuesday, March 21, 2017

Innovation Campus

For more information, contact Sim Reynolds at simera.reynolds@nebraska.gov
Nebraska Brain Injury Conference March 23 - 24 
Registration Deadline: March 17

At the Brain Injury Conference, you can reach out to a wide variety of health professionals, educators and families living with brain injury, as well as network with industry partners.
To find out more information and to register go to the Brain Injury Alliance of Nebraska Conference webpage.
Safe Kids Nebraska
2017 Child Passenger Safety Trainings
Are you interested in helping parents and care givers of children with their car seats? If you are, then sign up for one of the child passenger safety technician courses listed below. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Visit the National CPS certification website to  find out more about what a CPS does.   

March 19-25 is Poison Prevention Week

The following daily themes will be promoted in 2017: 

  • Monday, March 20 – Children Act Fast … So Do Poisons
  • Tuesday, March 21 – Poison Centers: Saving You Time and Money
  • Wednesday, March 22 – Poisonings Span a Lifetime
  • Thursday, March 23 – Home Safe Home
  • Friday, March 24 – Medicine Safety

Visit the National Poison Prevention Week website  to find out more.

Here are a few tips, provided by SafeKids, for poison prevention:

-Store household products out of children's sight and reach. 
-Install child safety locks on cabinets
-Read product labels. Many common household objects, including makeup, plants, pesticides, lead, and art supplies, can be dangerous for children.
-Don't leave poisonous products unattended while in use. 
-Keep products in their original packaging to avoid confusion. 
-Add the toll-free Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) to your cell phone and home phone speed dial. 
-Remove any peeling paint or chewable surfaces with lead-based paint. 

Here are a few extra poison prevention tips.
Study: Take Steps to Prevent Children from Exposure to Pet Medications
 

Curious toddlers are at risk of mistaking Fido’s medications for a snack, according to a new study.

While most of the symptoms reported in the study were minor, the authors noted that exposure to high doses of veterinary drugs could be dangerous.

About 63% of U.S. households have pets. If that includes you, here are some recommended tips recommended by pediatricians.

  • Keep medications in their original child-resistant containers with the label attached.

  • Store veterinary pharmaceuticals separate from human medications and in a location inaccessible to children.

  • Make sure pets finish all food that contains medicine before a child is allowed nearby.

  • Administer topical medications when the child is not present.

Read the full article here
 ATVs Are Dangerous to Children: Injuries Have Increased, Estimated ATV Deaths Up

In an article from the American Academy of Pediatrics, data released by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission was analyzed. The data showed estimated child deaths and serious injuries caused by ATVs increased slightly in 2015.  

"As a pediatrician, my number one job is to keep children safe and healthy. ATVs are not safe for children and should not be used by any child under the age of 16," said Fernando Stein, MD, FAAP, and president of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 
To read the full article click here
Motor Vehicle Safety

Child Pedestrian Deaths More Likely Around Parks

An article published by Reuters looked at crash data that showed child pedestrian fatalities are up to twice as likely around parks as they are around schools.

"Child pedestrian safety initiatives, such as the Safe Routes to School program, tend to focus on schools, but traffic risks around parks deserve more attention, the study authors write in Injury Prevention.

In the United States, motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for young people between the ages of 5 and 24 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every hour, about 40 children die on roads around the world, many on foot, according to the World Health Organization."

To read the full article, click here
Public Health Strategies for Motor Vehicle Safety
The  Public Health Strategies for Motor Vehicle Safety guides summarize evidence-based findings and recommendations addressing programs, services, and policies from research studies and national traffic safety organizations.
 
These guides are designed to act as a resource for those interested in traffic safety. Implementing these evidence-based strategies will help achieve the goal of Toward Zero Deaths in Nebraska. The topics currently covered are child passenger safety, teen driver safety, seat belt use, motorcycle safety and distracted driving.

Older Adult Falls

Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults 65 and over

An article published in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the CDC and analyzed data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults aged ≥65 years.  During 2014, approximately 27,000 older adults died because of falls; 2.8 million were treated in emergency departments for fall-related injuries, and approximately 800,000 of these patients were subsequently hospitalized.

Known effective strategies for reducing the number of older adult falls include a multifactorial clinical approach. Health care providers can play an important role in fall prevention, h ealth care providers should discuss fall prevention with their patients because approximately half of older adults who fall do not discuss it with their health care provider, often because they fear this will lead to a loss of independence ( 9 ). Health care providers cite limited time and cost as barriers to incorporating preventive services, such as those proposed by STEADI, into their clinical practice

To read the full article click here

Preventing Older Adult Falls and TBI 

The CDC created a podcast to address older adult safety. This podcast provides tips on how older adults can prevent falls and related injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBI). This podcast is part of the CDC's Healthy Aging series of podcasts.

To Listen to the podcast click here
Concussion
Soccer ball heading may cause concussion symptoms
 In a study conducted on adult soccer players, published in Neurology,  found that players that headed the ball the most had more concussion like symptoms such as dizziness and pain. Visit the New York Times website for more detail.
  March is Brain Injury Awareness Month and CDC's Injury Center encourages you to spread the word about ways to prevent a traumatic brain injury (TBI) to help protect the health of all Americans. A TBI is caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head and can affect how a person feels, thinks, acts, and learns. A TBI not only impacts the life of an individual and their family, but it also has a large societal and economic toll. TBIs are a major cause of death and disability in the United States, contributing to about 30% of all injury deaths. The leading causes of TBIs include falls among older adults, being struck by or against an object, and motor vehicle crashes. The good news is that most TBIs can be prevented.
  Help keep yourself and loved ones safe by:
  • Wearing the right helmet that fits well during sports and recreation activities.
  • Using the right car seat or booster seat for your child’s age, height, and weight.
  • Wearing a seat belt each and every time you ride in a car.
  • Taking steps to prevent falls—especially among older adults.
Spread the Word: You’re Not Alone in Brain Injury The theme for this year’s Brain Injury Awareness Month is “Not Alone in Brain Injury” and we have several events, tools and resources coming out that showcase this year’s theme.
  • Do you have a question about concussion and brain injury among kids and teens? CDC’s new HEADS UP Facebook "Ask the Expert" allows you to connect with CDC’s top subject matter experts directly by posing questions on our page. #AskTheExpert occurs at 1pm ET on the second Tuesday of each month. Our next event is March 14, 2017 and we hope you can join us!
  • Coaches and parents:  Are you looking for training and information about youth sports concussion? Check out the new CDC HEADS UP online training for youth sports coaches. This free online course will help you create a safe environment for young athletes so that they can stay healthy, active, and thrive - both on and off the playing field. Remember coaches and parents, changing the culture of concussion starts with you!
  • New articles and publications – for the latest data releases on the burden of TBI, reports, and featured articles, visit our TBI and Concussion Publications, Reports, and Fact Sheets webpage.
  • Check out Rocket Blades—a new educational gaming app coming out later this month designed to teach children age 6-8 years old about basic concussion safety. Connect with Us!
  • Connect with @CDCInjury all month long to get TBI safety tips and information. CDC will use and follow the #NotAloneInBrainInjury hashtag on Twitter.
Prescription Drug Overdose
Majority of Opioid Medications Not Stored Safely in Homes with Children, Survey Finds

 A new study from Johns Hopkins found that nearly 70-percent of prescription opioid medications kept in homes with children are not stored safely.

For homes with younger children, researchers defined "safe storage" as keeping the medication in a locked or latched place; and for homes with older children, it was defined as storing medication in a locked place.

Lead author Eileen McDonald said the paper "demonstrates the need to educate parents and children about opioid-related risks and how easily kids can access opioids that aren't under lock and key."

To read the full article click here
Trauma
Brain Injury Awareness Day,
The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) recognizes March 22nd as Brain Injury Awareness Month.  The mission of BIAA is to “advance awareness, research, treatment and education to improve the quality of life for all people affected by brain injury” (BIAA, 2017).  Brain injuries are often misdiagnosed and misunderstood, resulting in long term irreversible consequences.         

It is estimated that nearly 1.7 million people in the United States sustain a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) (Brainline.org, 2017). Leading causes of TBI include Falls, Motor Vehicle- Traffic Crashes, and Assaults (Brainline.org, 2017).  Estimated direct medical costs related to TBI are estimated at $60 billion dollars in the United States alone.
In collaboration with the Brain Injury Association of America, the Nebraska Trauma System, asks you to consider focusing your prevention efforts this month at raising awareness for brain injuries.  Additional information can be obtained at:  
 
Nebraska DHHS Injury Prevention, http://dhhs.ne.gov/publichealth/concussion/Pages/Home.aspx Nebraska Brain Injury Advisory Council http://www.braininjury.ne.gov/resources.html
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/features/braininjury/index.html
For more information or questions, please contact: Crystal Dailey RN, DHHS Trauma Nurse Specialist.

The Nebraska Statewide Trauma System wants to prevent you from becoming a statistic of motor vehicle crashes.  Be smart and do your part to be a responsible driver this holiday season.  For more information about the Nebraska Statewide Trauma System or for questions please contact: Crystal Dailey RN, BSN, Trauma Nurse Specialist, DHHS EMS/Trauma Program at crystal.dailey@nebraska.gov or 402-722-4300.  

 Safety Observances

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month

March 8, 2017

Concussion Discussion
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital
March 21, 2017

March 23-24, 2017


April 2017




Quick Links
Contact Information

Peg Ogea-Ginsburg, MA                  
Injury Prevention Program Coordinator   


Jason Kerkman, MPH 
Safe Kids Nebraska Coordinator 


Amy Reynoldson
Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Coordinator


Jeanne Bietz, MA                                             Motor Vehicle Policy Grant Project Coordinator  jeanne.bietz@nebraska.gov


Ashley Newmyer, MPH, CPH
Epidemiology Surveillance Coordinator

Felicia Quintana-Zinn, MS, MBA
Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Epidemiologist
Felicia.Quintana-Zinn@nebraska.gov
Injury Prevention and Control E-News is a monthly newsletter distributed to partners of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Injury Prevention and Control Program.