| Despite a Swedish study in 1995 that | | | | with whiplash injuries, with 47% of these |
| suggested that the risk of whiplash in | | | | being over the age of 12. Forty of these were |
| children is as high as two-thirds of the | | | | 'Grade 1' or severe cases and took an average |
| likelihood of an adult suffering the | | | | of 19.7 days to recover, with the rest |
| condition, less than 2% of whiplash | | | | reaching a comfortable state in 6.4 days. The |
| literature is actually devoted to children. | | | | main conclusion of the report focused on the |
| | | | age of the children and states that the risk |
| Considering that the strength of a six year | | | | of whiplash injury increases as a child |
| old's spine is only around 25% of the | | | | reaches puberty, probably as a result of the |
| strength of an adult's, clinical research | | | | physiological changes that the child is |
| begs the question as to why more children are | | | | undergoing. |
| not admitted with whiplash injuries. | | | | |
| | | | Children also rank alongside women as being |
| The answer may lie in factors such as seating | | | | more likely to suffer whiplash injury than |
| in cars. Children tend to ride in the back | | | | men which seems to be due to their size. |
| seats of cars, which are known to be | | | | Being shorter, they can often be closer to |
| generally safer than the front seats. The | | | | the airbag and, in an impact, this can |
| back seats also have reduced elasticity and | | | | exaggerate the movement of the neck. Size can |
| smaller backrests, designed specifically to | | | | also mean that they may have less securely |
| minimise the potential for injury in | | | | fitted restraints. |
| low-speed rear impact crashes. Children also | | | | |
| are proven to have a greater range of spinal | | | | In the past, children involved in accidents |
| motion and generally also have less history | | | | of this nature have been too often |
| of injuries or degenerative diseases which | | | | overlooked, both statistically and by the |
| can adversely affect the outcome of a rear | | | | world of insurance; a number of insurance |
| impact and any injuries incurred. | | | | companies have refused to pay for the |
| | | | treatment of children who have received |
| In October, a study was conducted using 105 | | | | whiplash and whiplash associated disorders, |
| children under the age of 17; each of whom | | | | bur personal injury specialist firms have |
| had been involved in a low impact collision. | | | | been persistent, setting precedents that |
| They were each interviewed and assessed at | | | | should ensure that children are no longer the |
| intervals according to the severity of their | | | | 'forgotten injured' of these unfortunate and |
| injuries:- the most severe cases were | | | | often debilitating accidents. |
| interviewed 2 weeks after they received their | | | | |
| injuries, with further assessments scheduled | | | | Whiplash is the term used to describe a soft |
| at further 2 week intervals. Less severe | | | | tissue injury to the neck when you are |
| cases were initially interviewed 5 days post | | | | involved in a car accident. The pain can last |
| injury. 39% of these children were sitting in | | | | for a matter of days or in more severe cases |
| the front seat at the time of impact and 61% | | | | a number of years. However, only a minor |
| were rear-seat passengers and, of these, 50% | | | | percentage of whiplash injuries result in |
| were involved in rear impact collisions, 32% | | | | long term injuries with most people making a |
| were involved in head on collisions and 18% | | | | full recovery. The important point is to make |
| were in side-on impacts. | | | | sure you are treated by professional medical |
| | | | staff as soon as possible. |
| 49 out of 105 of the patients were recorded | | | | |