MEDICAL SURFARI: 7,800 PEOPLE YEARLY SUFFER SPINE INJURIES

Several years ago I met a college student who told me this story. He was a cross-country runner in high school and college and he took a job as a laborer working to repair roads near his home. It was a sweltering July afternoon and he and his work mates were repairing some potholes on a small bridge. The heat was almost insufferable so they found a shaded area on the side of the bridge and broke early for lunch. This young man, being the college student of the bunch, had a brilliant idea to cool himself off.

Just below the bridge was a stream and the water looked so cool. He picked up a large rock and tossed it over the bridge. Kerplunk! It seemed that the water was deep so he stripped off his T-shirt and boots, leaving only his shorts, and dove over 20 feet into 10 inches of water! He was rendered a quadriplegic. His mates rescued him and today, of course, he no longer runs or walks but he has made great strides speaking publicly about his spinal cord injury.

A spinal cord injury is damage to the spinal cord that may result in a loss of movement and feelings below the level of injury. There are about 7,800 new spinal cord injuries each year in the United States, and it is estimated that there are more than 4,000 more spinal cord injuries each year that result in death before reaching the hospital. The most common causes of spinal cord injuries include motor vehicle accidents, acts of violence, falls, and sports. Two-thirds of sports injuries are from diving, often involving impaired judgment from alcohol intoxication. Of the 250,000 to 400,000 people living with spinal cord injuries, 82 percent are male and 18 percent female. The average lifetime cost for a patient rendered quadriplegic is nearly $1 million and this does not include indirect costs such as lost wages, fringe benefits or productivity.

THINK FIRST is an award-winning public education effort designed to teach high-risk young people about personal vulnerability and taking risks. It teaches them how to use their minds to protect their body so they may continue to have a fun-filled, exciting life without getting hurt. This program is available in most communities and it is certainly available in ours.

PREVENTION TIPS:

* Always wear proper sports safety gear.

* Always check the depth of water before diving in. Dive feet first the first time, and never dive into a pool unless it is 9 feet or deeper; never dive into an above ground pool.

* Teach your children alternative ways to solve arguments and fights without guns or violence. If you own a gun, keep it unloaded and locked up and store the bullets in a separate place.

Since 1990, acts of violence have nearly doubled as a cause for spinal cord injury. This trend is alarming and we must speak to our children and young adults and teach them, by example, emotional control and how they may use the creative positive potential of their minds to solve problems.

WORLDWIDE WEB SITES:

THINK FIRST Foundation

www.thinkfirst.org/home.htm

THINK FIRST is an award-winning public education program by The American Association of Neurological Surgeons and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons which provides information on injury prevention targeted towards children and adolescents.

Missouri HEADS UP Program

www.hsc.missouri.edu/~thinkfirst/history.html

The Missouri HEADS UP program addresses the critical issue of traumatic brain and spinal cord injury with a goal of increasing public understanding of how to prevent injuries.

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association

www.erols.com/nscia/

The National Spinal Cord Injury Association is an international resource whose mission is to enable people with spinal cord injury to achieve their highest level of independence and personal fulfillment.

Spinal Cord Injury, Stroke, and Paralysis Guide to Support Organizations

neurosurgery.mgh.harvard.edu/paral-r.htm

This site contains address and contact information for organizations providing support for and education of patients with spinal injuries and their families and friends.