There are also padded/reinforced headbands that can prevent or lessen some impacts. E.g., http://icehalo.com/
Also this brand: http://crasche.com/ which we got for my daughter. A personal trainer friend of mine said the Crasche looked better than the ice halo, but either one would be better than nothing.
I'm wondering if they could develop a specific helmet for skating --something more like what bicyclist wear not the full head motorcycle helmet you see. That would keep the sight lines open and also doesn't cover the ears. (I'm sometimes more aware of people around me because I can hear them.)
I understand not wearing a helmet in competition, but you would think that it would be encouraged for practice. And what about for non-elite skaters. My other sport is curling and our club has had several discussions lately about concussions. At the club level you have a lot of people curling who are not athletes and don't have some of the advantages that come with that (like strong neck muscles and basic agility). Not every skater on the ice is an athelete to the level of an elite skater --like the younger girls. We have a policy now at the curling club that if anyone hits their head, even if it is minor, we call the ambulance and have them checked out. I'm just as disturbed that Ashley said she fell and was not even looked at. Calling the ambulance every time might be a bit extreme, but every skater should at least stop skating and be checked out by someone with first aid knowledge. My daughter doesn't always wear the Crasche that we got her, but she knows to come off the ice and tell me if she hit her head. I'll give her the basic check over and if she seems fine we won't go to the doctor, but I'll keep an eye on her for the rest of the day to make sure no symptoms develop. And I almost always pull her off the ice for the rest of the day as a precaution. Because a second hit on the head doesn't just double the injury, it increases it exponentially.