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Choosing and Using the Correct Helmet
Remember...
Children's head sizes change dramatically as they grow, so helmets will need to be adjusted and/or replaced regularly.
Never purchase a larger helmet with the thought that the child will grow into it. Helmets that are too large will not provide optimum protection.
Never wear a bike helmet that has been in a crash, even if you can't see any damage. The protective capacity of a bike helmet may be used up in a single impact even if it appears untouched.
Never allow your child to wear anything underneath the helmet. The helmet is designed to provide the most effective protection from head injuries when worn directly next to the head. Wearing a baseball cap or toque under a helmet may interfere with its ability to protect the head. Winter helmets that help keep children's heads warm during activities are available.
Mouth guards are also recommended in many activities to help prevent head and jaw injuries. |
Wearing a helmet while bicycling is the law for children and youth under the age of 18 years. Helmet use is also recommended for many other recreational activities. Helmets do not prevent an injury event from happening. However, they do help protect your child's head and decrease the chance of a brain injury in the event of a fall or collision. Some helmets, such as bicycle helmets, are designed to protect the head for a single impact and should be replaced once the helmet has received any strong impact. There are also helmets designed to withstand more than one impact (multi-impact), as well as provide protection from sharp objects that may hit the head.
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Children are often involved in more than one activity where a helmet is required or recommended; choosing the right helmet can be confusing. Below is a list of recommended helmets for a variety of recreational activities. The information was gathered from Health Canada, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA), helmet manufacturers, Internet bicycle safety resource Sites and sport retailers, and is the best information available at this time. Currently, Canadian helmet standards exist for bicycle and hockey helmets only. Always ensure that the helmet you choose has been certified. You may see CSA, (Canadian), CPSC, Snell, ASTM (American) and CEN (European) insignias which identify that the helmet meets certification standards. Check with your local sporting goods store for more information on helmets available.
Fitting Tips
A helmet fits correctly when:
- It sits squarely on the head with the front of the helmet low on the brow (within 2 finger widths of the eyebrows) to protect the forehead.
- The padding gives firm, uniform pressure all around the head so that the skin on the forehead moves as the helmet is rotated from left to right and from front to back.
- The front and rear straps form a "Y" just below and forward of the ears; and,
- All straps are adjusted so there is no slack in the system when the chin strap is fastened.
Activity
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Recommended Helmet
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Certification
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Type of Protection
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Bicycling
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Bicycle helmet
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CSA, CPSC, Snell, B-95, N-94 certified
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Single impact
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In-Line Skating
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Bicycle helmet or In-line skating
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CSA, ASTM, F-1446, F-1447, CPSC or Snell N-94
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Single / Multiple impact
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Skateboarding
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Bicycle helmet
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ASTM, F-1492, CPSC, Snell N-94 or CEN
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Single / Multiple impact
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Scootering
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Bicycle helmet
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CSA, Snell B-95, N-94 certified
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Single impact
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Skiing
(recreational)
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Alpine ski racing helmet
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Snell RS-98, S-98, or ASTM F-2040
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Single impact
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Snowboarding
(recreational)
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Alpine ski racing helmet or snowboarding helmet
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Snell RS-98, F-2040, S-98 or ASTM
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Single impact
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Tobogganning (no specific tobogganning helmet available)
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Alpine ski helmet, hockey or bicycle helmets are recommended, but any helmet is better than none.
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CEN, CPSC, CSA, Snell RS-98, S-98, N-94 or ASTM certified
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Single and Multiple impact helmets available
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Ice Skating
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Hockey helmet
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CSA certified
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Multiple impact
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Hockey
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Hockey helmet
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CSA certified
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Multiple impact
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For more information on helmet use and safety, contact the Ottawa Public Health Information at 613-580-6744.
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