Making sure your child’s equipment protects them properly
by Andrew Snook (Ottawa, ON)
“Mom, dad, I want to play hockey.”
When a child comes to their parent with these words, the parent is often filled with a combination of anxiety and joy. They are happy their child wants to play Canada’s game, but worry about the potential injuries that can occur on the ice.
To try and protect their body-checking bundle of joy, many new hockey parents rush out and buy the most expensive equipment money can buy. But the price tag isn’t what’s going to ensure your child’s safety.
“We always tell them to base their assessment of equipment on three different things,” said Todd Jackson, senior manager of Safety and Insurance for Hockey Canada. “Number one that it fits properly and that kids do not buy equipment that they are planning to grow into.”
Jackson said that there are different things parents can look for when checking each piece of equipment.
“A great example is the helmet,” Jackson said. “There are some very easy ways to know that your helmet fits properly.”
by Andrew Snook (Ottawa, ON)
“Mom, dad, I want to play hockey.”
When a child comes to their parent with these words, the parent is often filled with a combination of anxiety and joy. They are happy their child wants to play Canada’s game, but worry about the potential injuries that can occur on the ice.
To try and protect their body-checking bundle of joy, many new hockey parents rush out and buy the most expensive equipment money can buy. But the price tag isn’t what’s going to ensure your child’s safety.
“We always tell them to base their assessment of equipment on three different things,” said Todd Jackson, senior manager of Safety and Insurance for Hockey Canada. “Number one that it fits properly and that kids do not buy equipment that they are planning to grow into.”
Jackson said that there are different things parents can look for when checking each piece of equipment.
“A great example is the helmet,” Jackson said. “There are some very easy ways to know that your helmet fits properly.”
Hockey Canada offers parents a fitting guide for all types of equipment at http://www.hockeycanada.ca/multimedia/kids/parents.php.
Jackson said that buying used equipment is an option, but parents should be cautious when doing so.
“I would be very careful buying a used helmet,” Jackson said. “But buying other used equipment is fine, as long as it is not cracked or torn and fits properly, and protects the part of the body that it is meant to protect.”
The third issue Jackson stresses to new parents is the proper maintenance of their child’s equipment.
He said that parents and children should inspect their equipment regularly for tears and cracks, and if any are found they should be repaired immediately, unless it is a helmet. Any helmet that is damaged should be replaced.
Clean your child’s equipment regularly
“We’re really stressing is the cleaning of equipment,” Jackson said. “It’s important they take their equipment out of the bag and let it dry properly.”
There are several alcohol-based disinfectant sprays available that can purchased to clean equipment.
Jackson suggests that all equipment, hockey bag included, should be professionally cleaned at least once a year.
Jackson said that from a Hockey Canada perspective, the only three pieces of equipment that are certified are the helmet (CSA), the face mask (CSA) and throat protectors (BNQ).
“When you buy a helmet make sure it has a CSA certified sticker and make sure that sticker stays there and is never removed,” Jackson said.
He said that the sticker is the only way that Hockey Canada can know that a helmet is CSA approved. If the sticker comes off, then that helmet is no longer considered CSA approved.
“With the mask, the facial protection it is also CSA certified,” Jackson said. “When parents are buying facial protection at a sports store, they should make sure that the mask they are buying is compatible to the helmet. Not all facial protection fits all helmets.”
Importance of learning safety at a young age
Jackson said that hockey-related injuries to children between the ages of 6-12 are relatively minor, but that younger players need to learn the importance of safe equipment for the future.
“The important thing is that the kids learn to wear proper equipment at young ages,” said Jackson. “As they move through the upper levels and the game gets faster and stronger, the injuries get more severe. We use that initiation- novice level, to teach the kids good equipment practices.”
Any parents that would like to stay up-to-date on the latest product alerts and recalls, or have encountered an issue with a CSA or BNQ certified piece of equipment, can contact either organization at http://www.csa-international.org/product_recalls/ or http://www.bnq.qc.ca/en/contactez_nous.html.
“The important thing is that the kids learn to wear proper equipment at young ages,” said Jackson. “As they move through the upper levels and the game gets faster and stronger, the injuries get more severe. We use that initiation- novice level, to teach the kids good equipment practices.”
Any parents that would like to stay up-to-date on the latest product alerts and recalls, or have encountered an issue with a CSA or BNQ certified piece of equipment, can contact either organization at http://www.csa-international.org/product_recalls/ or http://www.bnq.qc.ca/en/contactez_nous.html.
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