Demonstration in 1912 of the Warren Safety Helmet, which was designed to protect pilots but has often been wrongly described as a football helmet. Protective sports equipment such as helmets can partially protect athletes from head<unk> . Since a major cause of<unk>  are vehicle accidents, their prevention or the amelioration of their consequences can both reduce the incidence and gravity of<unk> . In accidents, damage can be reduced by use of seat belts, child safety seats and motorcycle helmets, and presence of roll bars and airbags. Education programs exist to lower the number of crashes. In addition, changes to public policy and safety laws can be made; these include speed limits, seat belt and helmet laws, and road engineering practices. Changes to common practices in sports have also been discussed. An increase in use of helmets could reduce the incidence of<unk> . Due to the possibility that repeatedly "heading" a ball practicing soccer could cause cumulative brain<unk> , the idea of introducing protective headgear for players has been proposed. Improved equipment design can enhance safety; softer baseballs reduce head<unk>  risk. Rules against dangerous types of contact, such as "spear tackling" in American football, when one player tackles another head first, may also reduce head<unk>  rates. Falls can be avoided by installing grab bars in bathrooms and handrails on stairways; removing tripping hazards such as throw rugs; or installing window guards and safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs around young children. Playgrounds with shock-absorbing surfaces such as mulch or sand also prevent head<unk> es. Child abuse prevention is another tactic; programs exist to prevent shaken baby syndrome by educating about the dangers of shaking children. Gun safety, including keeping guns unloaded and locked, is another preventative measure. Studies on the effect of laws that aim to control access to guns in the United States have been insufficient to determine their effectiveness preventing number of deaths or<unk> es. Recent clinical and laboratory research by neurosurgeon Julian Bailes, M.D., and his colleagues from West Virginia University, has resulted in papers showing that dietary supplementation with omega-3 DHA offers protection against the biochemical brain damage that occurs after a<unk><unk> . Rats given DHA prior to induced brain<unk> es suffered smaller increases in two key markers for brain damage (APP and caspase-3), as compared with rats given no DHA. "The potential for DHA to provide prophylactic benefit to the brain against<unk><unk>  appears promising and requires further investigation. The essential concept of daily dietary supplementation with DHA, so that those at significant risk may be preloaded to provide protection against the acute effects of<unk> , has tremendous public health implications." Furthermore, acetylcysteine has been confirmed, in a recent double-blind placebo-controlled trial conducted by the US military, to reduce the effects of blast induced mild<unk>  brain and neurological<unk>  in soldiers. Multiple animal studies have also demonstrated its efficacy in reducing the damage associated with moderate<unk>  brain or spinal<unk> , and also ischemia-induced brain<unk> . In particular, it has been demonstrated through multiple studies to significantly reduce neuronal losses and to improve cognitive and neurological outcomes associated with these<unk>  events. Acetylcysteine has been safely used to treat paracetamol overdose for over forty years and is extensively used in emergency medicine.
Traumatic brain injury
Alcohol intoxication
Pediatric concussion
Epidural hematoma
Acquired brain injury
Abnormal posturing  Abnormal posturing  1
Penetrating head injury
Cerebral edema  Cerebral edema  1