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