Craniofacial Injuries Associated With "Mommy Bike" Child Seats in Japan

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Emergency Medicine
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Bicycle Safety

Background:

• Bicycles serve diverse roles, including leisure, sports, and commuting.
• Japan uniquely permits "mommy bikes" (MB) with child seats, a practice rare globally.
• Understanding craniofacial injury patterns in this context is crucial for child safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize craniofacial injuries sustained by children in "mommy bike" (MB) child seats.
• To identify common injury types, locations, and circumstances.
• To inform preventative strategies and clinical awareness.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective study of children treated for MB child seat injuries.
• Data collected from May 2010 to December 2021 at Saitama Medical Center.
• Focus on patients visiting the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery department for oral injuries.

Main Results:

• Twenty-one children experienced oral injuries; 11 boys, 10 girls, mean age 2 years 3 months.
• Most injuries (85.7%) occurred when the bicycle was stationary, primarily in front seats.
• Soft tissue injuries (71.4%) were most common, followed by tooth injuries (19.0%); rare mandibular fractures were noted.

Conclusions:

• "Mommy bike" (MB) craniofacial injuries predominantly affect young children in front seats.
• Stationary bicycle tip-overs are a significant cause of injury.
• While often minor, the occurrence of mandibular fractures necessitates continued safety awareness and research.