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