As a leader in brain injury rehabilitation, Van Matre HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital will join the Brain Injury Association of America and its partners this month in recognizing Brain Injury Awareness Month. Throughout March, we are highlighting the importance of preventing head injuries and the healing power of brain injury rehabilitation.

The Brain Injury Association of America cites the most common causes of brain injury as vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries and violence. To prevent injury, Van Matre encourages our community to think ahead and make the following smart choices for brain injury prevention:

• Wear a seat belt every time you drive or ride in a motor vehicle;
• Buckle your child into a child safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt in the car;
• Never drive or engage in physical activity while under the influence of alcohol or drugs;
• Wear a helmet and make sure your children wear helmets during appropriate activities;
• Use safe guards to avoid falls;
• Check first the depth of the water when swimming or diving;
• Make sure the surface on your child's playground is made of shock-absorbing material, such as hardwood, mulch and sand;
• Keep firearms stored unloaded in a locked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a separate secured location; and
• Don’t TEXT while driving

For more information on brain injury rehabilitation or prevention, visit www.healthsouth.com or the Brain Injury Association of America online at www.biausa.org.