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Center for Injury Research and Policy

After Concussion: Monitor Sleep and Limit Daytime Naps for Faster Recovery
 After Concussion: Monitor Sleep and Limit Daytime Naps for Faster Recovery 1024 540 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

A new study reinforces the importance of sleep for concussion recovery and supports recommendations for quality nighttime sleep with limited naps. Researchers have found that when it comes to concussion recovery, sleep matters. In a study published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers from Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that limiting daytime sleep and getting…

Good Intentions but Low Adherence for Safe Sleep Guidelines
 Good Intentions but Low Adherence for Safe Sleep Guidelines 1024 585 JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM
By: JoAnna Pendergrass, DVM

Although mothers are aware of the Safe Sleep Guidelines developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, they frequently deviate from them to try to help their babies sleep better and longer. Research recently published in Pediatrics and conducted by Lara B. McKenzie, MA, PhD, FAAHB, principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy…

Water Beads: Sensory Fun or Ticket to the Emergency Department?
 Water Beads: Sensory Fun or Ticket to the Emergency Department? 1024 683 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Researchers find ED visits more than doubled from 2021 to 2022 and call for federal legislation and regulation to address this child hazard. Researchers from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital have found more than an estimated 8,000 visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) associated…

Adolescents With Concussion May Benefit from More Cognitive Activity as Early as the First Week After Injury
 Adolescents With Concussion May Benefit from More Cognitive Activity as Early as the First Week After Injury 1024 575 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

A new study shows limiting screen time and returning to school early following a concussion may hasten recovery timelines. In a study published in British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers with the Center for Injury Research and Policy, Division of Sports Medicine, Center for Biobehavioral Health, and Division of Emergency Medicine at Nationwide Children’s Hospital evaluated…

Legislation Associated With Reduction in Amount of Opioids Prescribed at Discharge
 Legislation Associated With Reduction in Amount of Opioids Prescribed at Discharge 1024 681 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Study shows a decrease after the 2017 Ohio Prescription Opioid Cap Law went into effect. The Ohio Opioid Cap Law, enacted on August 31, 2017, limited the total dose and duration of opioids that could be prescribed for minors. The anticipated benefit of cap laws in preventing opioid overdose, death and addiction was counterbalanced by fears…

Youth Suicide and Attempted Suicide Reported to Poison Control Centers Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic
 Youth Suicide and Attempted Suicide Reported to Poison Control Centers Increased During the COVID-19 Pandemic 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

A recent study evaluated trends of suspected suicides and suicide attempts among children 6-19 years old reported to United States poison centers. A recent study published in Journal of Medical Toxicology from the Center for Injury Research and Policy and Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that the annual number of cases…

Featured Researcher — Motao (Matt) Zhu, MS, MD, PhD
 Featured Researcher — Motao (Matt) Zhu, MS, MD, PhD 150 150 Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES
By: Katie Brind'Amour, PhD, MS, CHES

Motao (Matt) Zhu, MS, MD, PhD, serves as a principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. After starting off his epidemiology studies in reproductive health, Dr. Zhu transitioned into injury research and has since become an internationally recognized expert in young driver…

Do Warning Labels on High-Powered Magnets Prevent Child Injury?
 Do Warning Labels on High-Powered Magnets Prevent Child Injury? 1024 521 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
cube made of ball magnets in the palm of a hand

A recent study suggests parents often don’t notice or read warning labels on high powered magnets. They also perceive these products as children’s toys, despite FDA rules against marketing them to children under age 14 years. High-powered magnet products are made of rare-earth metals, usually neodymium, that is up to 30 times more powerful than…

Teens on the Road: How Technology, Policy and Parents Influence Driving Safety
 Teens on the Road: How Technology, Policy and Parents Influence Driving Safety 1024 633 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

Traffic crashes are a leading cause of death in the United States. For teens, the stakes are especially high.

Lower Traffic Volumes During COVID-19 Shut-Downs Lead to Fewer Injuries
 Lower Traffic Volumes During COVID-19 Shut-Downs Lead to Fewer Injuries 1024 683 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
Teen driving a car

To minimize transmission of COVID-19, in spring 2020, most U.S. states passed policies promoting social distancing through stay-at-home orders prohibiting non-essential travel. While vehicle-miles traveled in the United States decreased by 41% in April 2020 compared to 2019, the effect of this mobility decrease on motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) is poorly understood. Motao (Matt) Zhu,…

Innovative Biostatistical Methodology for Causal Evaluation of Medical Treatments
 Innovative Biostatistical Methodology for Causal Evaluation of Medical Treatments 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Medical records are readily available nowadays, but using medical records to evaluate medical treatments is full of challenges. Henry Xiang, MD, MPH, PhD, professor of medicine and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy, collaborated with biostatisticians from The Ohio State University College of Public Health to develop a novel statistical method…

Calls to Poison Centers About High-Powered Magnets Increased by 444% After Ban Lifts
 Calls to Poison Centers About High-Powered Magnets Increased by 444% After Ban Lifts 1024 521 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
cube made of ball magnets in the palm of a hand

High-powered magnets are small, shiny and made from powerful rare earth metals. Since they started showing up in children’s toys in the early 2000s and then later in desk sets in 2009, high-powered magnets have caused thousands of injuries and are considered to be among the most dangerous ingestion hazards in children. When more than one…

No More Sitting in the Dark?
 No More Sitting in the Dark? 1024 728 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

A new study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy, Sports Medicine and Emergency Medicine is the first to document objectively self-paced physical and cognitive activity post-concussion among youth. The results suggest they may be able to engage in physical and cognitive activity as soon as tolerated post-concussion. Clinical guidelines for managing concussion in…

Featured Researcher — Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH
 Featured Researcher — Jingzhen Ginger Yang, PhD, MPH 150 150 Natalie Wilson
By: Natalie Wilson

Dr. Jingzhen (Ginger) Yang, a principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, has a national and international reputation as a leader in pediatric injury prevention research. Currently, Dr. Yang is directing three NIH-funded R01 studies, and her research focuses on two areas: improving sports-related concussion recovery among children and…

Increases in Number and Severity of Suicide-Related Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers Involving Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
 Increases in Number and Severity of Suicide-Related Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers Involving Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers 1024 575 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
Teen girl with backpack

Experts call for increased regulation, prevention efforts. Over-the-counter (OTC) analgesics such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen and acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) have long been a staple in households for managing pain, fevers and other common ailments. However, the accessibility of these medications can make them easy to take in dangerous amounts. In a new study, researchers at the Center…

Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers for Natural Psychoactive Substances Increasing, Driven by Rising Marijuana Exposures
 Calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers for Natural Psychoactive Substances Increasing, Driven by Rising Marijuana Exposures 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Researchers encourage states legalizing marijuana to implement poison prevention strategies Natural substances with psychoactive effects have been used by people for religious, medicinal and recreational purposes for millennia. Lack of regulation has led to an increase in their availability, especially online. Some psychoactive substances may be appealing to recreational users because of the perception they…

Increased Number of Pediatric Eye Injuries From Nonpowder Firearms
 Increased Number of Pediatric Eye Injuries From Nonpowder Firearms 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

BB guns accounted for most of the injuries; Researchers highlight importance of protective eyewear, and call for stricter, more consistent safety legislation. Nonpowder firearms have long been marketed to children and teenagers as toys or “starter” firearms and include BB, pellet, airsoft and paintball guns. A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury…

Study Identifies Barriers High Schools Face When Implementing and Enforcing State Concussion Laws
 Study Identifies Barriers High Schools Face When Implementing and Enforcing State Concussion Laws 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

All 50 U.S. states enacted concussion laws between 2009-2014 to mitigate the consequences of concussion. While details of the laws vary from state to state, all state laws address three main factors: concussion education; removal from play after suspected concussion; and return-to-play requirements. A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and…

People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients
 People Outperform Computers at Assigning Injury Severity in Trauma Patients 1024 768 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

Injury severity scores determined by specially trained staff were better at predicting length of stay and mortality than the computer generated scores. The success of trauma quality improvement and research is based upon detailed information maintained in trauma registries. Stratification of injury severity is critically important when collecting patient data for these registries. By compiling…

Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half
 Screening for Cervical Spine Risk Factors Could Reduce CT Scans by Half 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
By: Kevin Mayhood

Study finds identifiable risk factors that ED staff can use for evaluation, avoiding over 100,000 unnecessary scans annually. An estimated 8 million children suffer blunt trauma annually, and while cervical spine injury (CSI) is serious, it is uncommon. Screening children suffering from blunt trauma for CSI risk factors could cut unnecessary computed tomography (CT) scans…

Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products
 Hidden in Plain Sight: The Importance of Safe Storage for Cosmetics and Personal Products 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

In homes across the country, there are dangerous products hidden in plain sight on bathroom counters and bedroom dressers. Personal care products such as shampoo, lotion, makeup, nail polish remover and cologne seem like they should be safe since they are intended for use on our bodies. However, in the hands of young children, these…

Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety
 Pinterest Perfect Isn’t the Whole Story When It Comes to Safety 150 150 Abbie Miller
By: Abbie Miller

Imagine the scene: It’s late at night. You’re planning a party for your friend/spouse/child. Your phone is in your hand. What are you doing? You’re probably looking for inspiration on Pinterest or other social media sites. And while they might be the perfect places to find ideas for decorations or a new cupcake recipe, would…

What Pediatric Care Providers Need to Know About Kratom
 What Pediatric Care Providers Need to Know About Kratom 150 150 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner

The herbal supplement is increasingly the source of toxic exposures and health care facility admissions. In recent years, kratom has become popular as a treatment for chronic or acute pain as well as mood conditions such as depression and anxiety. It is also sometimes used to help with opioid withdrawal. While there is a perception…

Smoke Alarms Using Mother’s Voice Wake Children Better than High-Pitch Tone Alarms
 Smoke Alarms Using Mother’s Voice Wake Children Better than High-Pitch Tone Alarms 1024 575 Laura Dattner
By: Laura Dattner
Color image of young boy asleep in bed

When residential fires happen at night while people are sleeping, deaths are more likely to occur. Smoke alarms are important for preventing these deaths, yet many young children don’t wake up to traditional high-pitch tone alarms. In a study published in The Journal of Pediatrics, researchers in the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Sleep Disorders Center at Nationwide…

U.S. Poison Control Centers Receive 32 Calls a Day About Pediatric Exposures to Prescription Opioids
 U.S. Poison Control Centers Receive 32 Calls a Day About Pediatric Exposures to Prescription Opioids 150 150 Tracy Mehan, MA
By: Tracy Mehan, MA

Researchers call for changes to prescribing practices and increased education about safe storage at home. A new study published online today by Pediatrics and conducted by the Center for Injury Research and Policy and the Central Ohio Poison Center at Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that there were more than 188,000 calls to U.S. Poison Control Centers for…

A Painful Reality: Care Providers Tend to Underestimate Pain During Pediatric Burn Dressing Changes
 A Painful Reality: Care Providers Tend to Underestimate Pain During Pediatric Burn Dressing Changes 150 150 Krista Wheeler
By: Krista Wheeler

Researchers call for an updated pain scale. Dressing changes have been identified as one of the major contributors to perceived pain during burn care, and so it is important that pain be assessed accurately. But a new study from the Center for Pediatric Trauma Research in The Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital suggests that pediatric burn…

Marijuana Exposure in Young Children
 Marijuana Exposure in Young Children 150 150 Kevin Mayhood
By: Kevin Mayhood

Researchers call for states to enact controls protecting all minors. When states legalize marijuana for medical or recreational use, the number of children younger than 6 exposed to the drug spikes that year and continues to rise annually, researchers at Nationwide Children’s Hospital report. And the number of children classified as victims of major exposures…