By Pico Triano
My five year old daughter had just learned to ride without training wheels and spent every chance she could booming all over the common area around the townhouse complex where we lived at the time.
Only a few weeks into her newfound joy, she came to the back
door with her hands covering her face calling for her mom. Mom of course came
and wanted to have a look. When the hands were drawn away they were covered in
blood and so was her pretty young face. Suppressing a gasp of horror, mom went
to working cleaning up the mess and providing first aid.
It didn’t turn out to be as bad as it at first looked. She
had a deep cut above her eye just below her eyebrow. The bridge of her cute
little nose swelled up.
My wife had done an excellent job. She had used small
butterfly bandaged to close the cut. When I got home I felt she needed to be
checked at the doctor. She had been wearing a helmet but had landed on her face
on very rough asphalt. I was a concerned she might have a concussion. Plus
we’re amateurs when it comes to some first aid and we wanted to make sure she
was fixed up right. The doctor was impressed with the work my wife did and
elected to forego stitches because the butterfly bandages were doing a good
job. My daughter got a clean bill of health and it wasn’t long before she was
out riding again – although a little more carefully.
I think it’s natural for parents to worry about their
children having accidents. It’s also natural for children to have them. My kids
have had a few and it would be nice if as a parent you could somehow prevent
them all. That isn’t realistic though. I’m just glad my kids have provided me
with less of those emergencies than I did for my parents.
What’s a parent to do?
First off make sure your kids have proper protective
equipment. I know, I grew up before the days of cycling helmets and I survived
didn’t I? Yes, but I had a classmate who did not. Make sure they have a helmet
and use it.
Make sure the other end is protected as well. Don’t let your
kids ride their bikes with bare feet or just as bad - open toed sandals.
Flip-flops might even be worse. I know I was stupid enough as a kid to ride
with them. The rubber sole could catch the pavement and pull your foot into the
ground. It’s amazing that I have any skin on my big toes.
Second make sure they ride in a safe environment. Kids
shouldn’t start out riding in the street. Make sure that when they advance to
that point that they’ve been taught the rules of the road and that they’ve been
taught to ride defensively.
Third suggestion, because with kids stuff happens, is to
have a good first aid kit and know how to use everything in it. We learned a
lot from experience but a good first aid course is useful.
Finally don’t get too worried about cycling accidents.
Children can and will get hurt in the safety of your own home. Take appropriate
precautions but don’t let yourself be so scared you don’t let them ride at all.
I don’t believe cycling has to be significantly more dangerous than being
alive.
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