Upon completion of this poster session the learner will be able to:
1. Articulate the role HPERD professionals can play in preventing unintentional play-related injuries for diverse populations.
2. Identify strategies for incorporating play risk assessment into HPERD practice.
3. Critique assessment tools from the perspective of HPERD disciplines.
4. Defend the inclusion of safe play intervention strategies into HPERD professional practice and education.
Play is identified as being central to child development. During play, children have opportunities to learn rules of safety, practice skills, and engage in activities that promote health. Yet, play with bikes, scooters, skates and skateboards accounted for an estimated 190,000 head injuries in 2004.
The Heads Up play risk protocol evolved from a transdisciplinary health education and occupational therapy service learning curriculum and a pilot study of immigrant youth's play behaviors. Three safe play screens will be presented. The Attitudes & Knowledge Safety Survey measures culturally diverse 8-12 year olds' riding toy play attitudes, knowledge and habits. The Select, Fit & Apply: Bike Helmet Checklist, coupled with the Purdue Pegboard, examines process and motor skills needed to independently and correctly don a bike helmet.
This session will raise awareness of the incidence of riding toy injuries, share play risk- assessment strategies, invite participants to critique assessment tools from the perspective of their own disciplines, illustrate by example the role we can play in primary prevention, and provide participants an opportunity to reflect on the relevance of this protocol to HPERD practice and education.