How to lower the risk of injuries?

Research indicates that children with ADHD are significantly more likely to be injured as pedestrians or while riding a bicycle, to receive head injuries, injure more than one part of the body, and be hospitalized for accidental poisoning. Children with ADHD may be admitted to intensive care units or have an injury result in disability more frequently than other children.

 A few injury prevention suggestions:

• Ensure bicycle helmet use. Remind children as often as necessary to watch for cars and to avoid unsafe activities.

• Supervise children when they are involved in high-risk activities or are in risky settings, such as when climbing or when in or around a swimming pool.

• Keep potentially harmful household products, tools, equipment and objects out of the reach of young children.

• Teens with ADHD may need to limit the amount of music listened to in the car while driving, drive without passengers and/or keep the number of passengers to a chosen few, plan trips well ahead of time, avoid alcohol and drug use and cellular phone usage.

• Parents may want to enroll their teens in driving safety courses before they get their driver’s license.