The Kessler Foundation’s Chapter of ThinkFirst is a part of a national ThinkFirst network created to help children avoid suffering disabling injuries. ThinkFirst has offered some crucial safety tips to remember throughout this summer.
Kessler Foundation ThinkFirst Safety Tips:
- Check all outdoor toys that have been stored during the winter to insure no wheels are lose, no pieces are missing and there is no other wear that would make it unsafe for children.
- Children should wear a helmet every time they ride their bike, skateboard or rollerblade. Studies have shown wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of a head injuries by as much as 85 percent.
- When purchasing a helmet insure that it fits properly and meets or exceeds the safety standards developed by American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and/or the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
- It is recommended that young children do not dive. Older children should do so in at least eight feet of water with arms extended out in front.
- Always require children to wear a seatbelt while riding in a car and check to insure the belt is snug across their hips.
The Kessler Foundation Research Center is a non-profit medical research organization. It contains approximately “70 dedicated research staff including 20 doctoral level staff and post-doctoral fellows.” Kessler has an annual operating budget around $9 million. It receives its funding from federal research and training grants, National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, New Jersey Commission on Spinal Cord Research, United Spinal Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, and charitable contributions from private donors.
The mission of Kessler Foundation is “to be a premier medical research organization conducting rehabilitation research that will improve health and promote wellness for persons with physical disabilities, musculoskeletal and neurological conditions.” Kessler offers educational programs and provides research training. They focus on revealing their studies to improve the quality of life for those that suffer from physical and cognitive disabilities.
(Special Thanks to Mamanista.com Intern Brittany for writing this post!)
