Have a Safe Summer

from Shine Newsletter, Summer 2006

When school’s out for summer, your children are free to enjoy the sun and fun of summer sports and activities.  However, many accidents occur during the summer months. The volume of emergency-room visits for acute injuries at The Children’s Hospital increase by as much as 50 percent during June, July and August. The good news is you can keep your children safe and healthy this summer — and Shine is here to help.

Injuries that tend to occur more frequently during the summer include those related to skating, trampoline use, horse and bicycle riding and motor vehicles.

“Many of these injuries can be prevented through proper use of safety equipment and parental supervision,” says Peggy Kean Ray, trauma coordinator at Children’s.  “This helps children have summers that are both fun and safe.”

Help your children stay safe this summer with the following activity specific tips:

Bike Safety

Make sure your child wears a helmet at all times while riding a bicycle. The helmet should be flat on top of your child’s head — not tilted at an angle — with the chinstraps secured firmly under his chin. Review the rules of the road with your child:   Ride so drivers can see you, look both ways before crossing the street and don’t ride in streets where there is traffic.

“Whether their children are biking down the driveway or down the street, parents should make sure helmets are worn at all times,” says Lou Hampers MD, pediatric emergency medicine specialist and director of the emergency department at Children’s.  “Helmets should also be worn when horseback riding to prevent head trauma from potential falls.”

Car Safety

Observe the following rules for car safety seats when traveling, whether it’s to the grocery store or cross-country:

• Children under the age of 1 year old should ride in rear-facing car seats. Never put a rear-facing seat in front of an airbag.
• Children older than 1 year old and between 20 and 40 pounds should ride in forward-facing car seats.
• Children over 40 pounds and less than 4’9” should ride in booster seats using lap and shoulder belts.
• Children taller than 4’9” can use a seatbelt.

“In addition to practicing good seatbelt safety, parents should never leave their children unattended in a car,” says Dr. Hampers. “In only 10 or 15 minutes, the temperature in a car can rise rapidly — which can cause a child to succumb to heatstroke.”

Water Safety

Whether it’s in a bathtub, ditch or swimming pool, water can pose a danger to children. In a study of childhood drowning incidents in Colorado, it was reported that 32 percent of drowning-related deaths in children ages 0 to 14 occurred in open water such as lakes, rivers and ditches.

To help keep your children safe around water, never leave them in or near water without adult supervision. Also, teach them proper water-safety etiquette. They should never run, push or jump on others around water.

“All pools should have a fence to ensure children cannot have access while unsupervised,” Dr. Hampers says. “Children under the age of 4 should use a life vest or plastic flotation devices.”

Trampoline Safety

A 2005 study revealed that injuries from backyard trampolines have nearly doubled in the past decade, causing almost 75,000 emergency department visits nationwide each year. At The Children’s Hospital, 138 children were cared for due to trampoline-related injuries between January 1, 2005, and April 25, 2006.

“Even with parental supervision,   children may not safely be able to jump on trampolines,” Dr. Hampers says. “Because a child’s body is not made to withstand the kind of forces associated with jumping on a trampoline, injury often occurs to the knees, shoulder and neck.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following safety precautions for trampoline use:

• Only one person should be jumping at a time.
• Do not allow somersaults or flips of any kind.
• Cover springs, hooks and frames with shock-absorbing pads and check equipment regularly for worn or damaged parts.
• Keep the trampoline away from structures, trees and other play areas.  

Now that you and your children are up-to-date on safety tips for the many summer activities you’ll enjoy this season, you’re bound for an exciting time of fun in the sun. Here’s to a safe, fun summer!