Toy ATV Concerns - Flint Adam

A freak accident involving a battery-operated toy-ATV left five year-old Andrea Monchecourt with a cracked skull.

She's back at home, but still recovering from her injury.

Her mother says all families should hear their story, and think about the gifts they give this holiday season.

"She cracked it from here to here."

Deanne Monchecourt points out where her daughter fractured her skull.

Now, Andrea is at home with her siblings, but can't play too hard through the holiday season.

A few weeks ago, a freak accident sent her to the hospital.

"There were six adults standing less than three feet away from her, and it just happened in a quick moment," says Deanne.

Andrea was standing on the back of a battery-powered ATV, showing a friend how to drive it.

"I was kind of holding on to her shirt and then she stepped on the pedal and my hand kind of slipped."

Andrea fell off the back and hit the concrete - she was not wearing a helmet.

"Her eyes were rolling back into her head and she wasn't breathing," says Deanne.

Andrea's mom knows CPR, and quickly began administering it.
Andrea was revived and taken to the hospital - she spent two days in the ICU.

Doctors say accidents like Andrea's are all too common because not enough kids wear helmets.

Data by the group "Safe Kids" shows more than 58,000 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms in 2005 after being injured while using a riding toy.

Purnima Unni, with Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, says if you're thinking about giving a riding toy as a gift, think about this: "What a gift it would be if you could also provide a helmet along to that child so that it's right there. Parents don't have to think about it, and they can put it on their child before they start riding it."

Andrea did own a helmet before her accident, she just wasn't wearing it.
Now she - and her family - want to remind you what they learned the hard way... you always need to wear a helmet.Toy ATV Concerns - Flint Adam