Protective equipment - neck brace for kid?

So my kid is starting to hit the big stuff - doing the entire proline on Dirt and Fade and generally things that I have no interest in hitting, so it might be time to reconsider what protective equipment he has on given that he wears what I wear: stuff for normal stuff (full face and knee pads).

Im thinking neck brace and torso pads...

Are there downsides with a neck brace? I go back to my car race track days when I was in a HANS, and there are positives and negatives to those. Any reason why a neck brace is a bad idea for a 14yo?

Have neck braces been getting less popular recently? On the Pinkbike "Whistler opening day survey" it said only 10% of riders were wearing one in 2019 vs. 17-23% in previous years. Obviously it isn't a huge sample size but I'm curious as to whether neck braces are a passing fad. I've been wearing one for a few years now but luckily have never had to "use it". 

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/whistler-opening-day-survey-2019.html

I wore a Leatt when they came out... I was still a bike-park rookie and was fighting way above my weight at the time.

I had a white-limo ride to Lion's Gate because I shouldn't have been riding what I was riding.

So with all that out of the way, I still suspect my concussion was related to me not being able to tuck my head and roll... and it was a nasty concussion.

Sold it shortly thereafter and have never looked back.

I’ve seen way less WC DH racers using neck braces.

Same with the moto SX guys. Unless they only wear them for racing.

Some more recent research showed they weren't working quite as expected - transferring force and causing vertebral fractures lower (which isn't a bad outcome, assuming same force would have caused one higher). I think this was exacerbated where set up was poor, and especially in kids (because set up is harder). The rise of more things like MIPS might play in to less neck braces being around too.

I’ve noticed a reduction in use of neck braces in the bike park, and an increase in chest armour / the moto chest protector Lacondeguy and crew wear at fest.

Posted by: Cheez1ts

I’ve noticed a reduction in use of neck braces in the bike park, and an increase in chest armour / the moto chest protector Lacondeguy and crew wear at fest.

Never went neck brace but I do rock a chest/back protector (that I bought off ReductiMat years back I think). I doubt I would really protect my spine but it does let me slide on my back and defuse the energy when I crash which is nice.