Skateboard Safety for Kids

With proper safety gear and knowledge, skateboarding can be a safe activity.

Skateboarding is a popular sport for kids, especially teenagers. But younger children are becoming interested in the sport. Kids under the age of 10 have special safety concerns that do not apply to teenagers. Young children have a higher center of gravity and slower reaction times than older kids do, so they are more prone to accidents that result in injuries to their head. But with proper safety gear and supervision, younger children can enjoy skateboarding, too.

Significance

Because skateboarding involves quick movement, it can result in a wide variety of injuries. Minor scrapes and cuts are common, but major brain injury and death are possibilities. Skateboarding causes 50,000 emergency room visits and 1,500 hospitalizations of children every year. The majority of hospitalizations occur because of head injury.

Considerations

While head injuries are the most dangerous injuries that can happen while skateboarding, more than one third occur at the wrist, resulting in broken or dislocated bones. Children who have the most injuries are the ones who are inexperienced. But experienced skaters have the second highest rate of injury because they attempt difficult stunts and fall. Injuries happen to children under the age of 15 six out of every 10 times and head injuries happen more often in children under the age of 10.

Safety Gear

To protect kids while they are skateboarding, they should always wear proper safety gear. Helmets should be snug but not too tight to provide proper protection. It should not slide around on the head or obstruct the hearing or sight of the child. Safety pads should be worn on the knees, elbows, and wrists at all times, and wearing long clothing and closed-toed shoes will provide protection as well. Pads or clothing should not interfere with movement while skating.

Prevention

Wearing safety gear is the first step to preventing injury, but there are other steps that can be taken. The skateboard should be the proper size for the child riding it. It should also be in good repair and have no loose or broken parts. Skateboarding should only be done in areas free of bumps, loose stones or other objects that could cause a skateboarder to lose control. Knowing how to fall can also help prevent injury. Children under the age of five should not skateboard at all and those between the ages of six and 10 should have adult supervision while they are skateboarding.

Safety Tips

Other safety tips will help make skateboarding safe and fun for kids of all ages. The skateboard should be checked for damage frequently. Skateboarding should never be done in the street or at night and a skateboarder should never ride while holding on to a car or bicycle. Only one person should ride a skateboard at a time. Skateboards do not have brakes, so skating downhill should be done cautiously.

References

• American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Skateboarding Safety
• Community Safety Net: Skateboarding Safety for Kids