Epilepsy Talk

New! Helmets for Your Health | February 28, 2015

Now, a pair of Swedish women have developed a remarkable solution for safety helmets: The Invisible Bike Helmet!

Tired of strapping ugly, uncomfortable styrofoam-and-plastic turtle shells to their heads, the pair came up with a revolutionary solution that manages to give you full head protection without, remarkably, wearing anything on your head.

To see the secret of how their amazing Hövding helmet works, go to this video: http://jalopnik.com/swedes-develop-invisible-bike-helmet-1460189477/@jasontorch?utm_campaign=socialflow_jalopnik_facebook&utm_source=jalopnik_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

There’s also a new Inflatable Helmet. The airbag helmet is worn around the neck like a scarf or collar. The collar contains a folded up airbag that inflates in the event of an accident.

Sensors within the collar pick up strange or sudden movements. The airbag is shaped like a hood. It surrounds and protects the user’s head. (Natalie Portman wore one because of her character’s epilepsy in the movie Garden State!) http://epilepsyu.com/blog/inflatable-helmet-for-epilepsy-the-future-of-epilepsy-helmets/

For those of us who don’t have these state-of-the-art helmets (I don’t know anyone who does) consider these options:

If you fall backward, the back of your head needs protection.

A good helmet also needs a chinstrap that can be adjusted so that it’s snug but not uncomfortable.

No matter what direction you fall, the helmet should absorb the impact, or else it will be useless if it doesn’t remain securely on your head.

Not all types of helmets offer adequate protection.

Bicycle helmets are comfortable and good-looking, but they don’t offer the best protection for injuries from seizure activity.

Coverage is insufficient in the back and on the sides of the head.

When seizures cause forward falls, they don’t protect the face, and if they are not adjusted properly, they move too much.

Longevity of the helmet is another problem. With repeated hard falls, a bicycle helmet may crack.

Boxing helmets, made of soft leather, are comfortable but they offer no protection and don’t allow adequate ventilation.

Football helmets offer good protection but they’re large and uncomfortable to wear.

Baseball batting helmets are loose-fitting and are made without a chinstrap, so they offer inadequate protection.

Hockey and lacrosse helmets are one of the best choices. If you can survive in one of them, it’s likely that you can weather a seizure.

More to the point, they offer maximum protection, come in a variety of colors, fit all age groups (except infants) and can be purchased and fitted in any sporting goods store.

Other helmets are made especially to protect people with medical needs, including infants and very small children.

Some of them come in choices of style or color that may be more appealing to those who don’t want to look like a hockey player.

Lightweight, hard-foam helmets, for instance, provide good protection.

Hard-foam helmets made by Danmar, provide good protection.

They come in a wide variety of styles that can be customized for people with seizures.

Custom-made, infant-sized helmets can be ordered either through the rehabilitation department of a hospital or through Danmar Products, Inc. http://www.danmarproducts.com/

ProtectaCap is another helmet that provides good protection.

It’s a soft, lightweight helmet made with core components that are engineered specifically to absorb and dissipate energy, so the helmet is both protective and durable. This kind of helmet can be patterned to meet individual needs. It’s also machine washable! http://www.plument.com/

AbleData provides 20 different helmet types for ultimate protection, ranging from infants to extra-extra large sizes.

There’s incredible variety, with literally, something for everyone! http://www.abledata.com/abledata.cfm?pageid=19327&top=12015

eSpecialNeeds also has a variety of helmets. From custom-made infant-sized helmets, to hard shell and soft shells.

Helmets with faceguards and face bars and even “Thumper Bumpers”! http://www.especialneeds.com/adaptive-equipment-helmets-head-supports.html

RehabMart has a choice of 21 helmets for children. http://www.rehabmart.com/category/Protective_Helmets.htm

And there are some unusual choices…

A Playmaker™ Soft Protective Helmet, a Newborn Cap (in your choice of pink or blue), Clear Post-Op Helmet, and a Soft Shell Helmet. An unusual array. http://www.rehabmart.com/category/Special_Needs_Protective_Childrens_Helmets.htm

For personalization, there are all kinds of neat epilepsy decals at Cafe Press http://www.cafepress.com/+epilepsy+bumper-stickers

Etsy has 250 different decals — from custom designs to Dr. Seuss. http://www.etsy.com/search?q=custom+vinyl+decal&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US&ref=related&page=1

And Michaels Crafts has zillions of stickers to create whatever you want. http://www.michaels.com/search?q=stickers

What could be more individual and unique than your own design?

 

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