Avoid the “If we had only known…” heartache as you await word from the emergency room doctor on your child’s condition. Accidental injuries are the leading cause of death in children under the age of 14. Over 23 million children, under the age of 15, are seen in the E.R. annually and 7 million of these cases are the result of accidental injuries.
JUMP STRAIGHT INTO THE ER BY SAYING YES TO A TRAMPOLINE!
Almost 100,000 emergency room visits per year are trampoline related.
Injuries from trampolines range from pulled muscles bone fractures, and permanent spinal cord injuries to serious brain trauma. The most serious injuries are caused by multiple jumpers, which can increase the risk of colliding and falling on each other, combined with poor safety padding and netting, as well as a lack of adult supervision. It’s an activity that should be reconsidered as too dangerous.
WAIT – IS THAT PLAYGROUND SAFE?
90% of severe injuries are caused by falls at playgrounds. 40% can be attributed to a lack of proper supervision. The most important things to remember at the playground is to have your children playing on age appropriate equipment and be sure the playground has safe coverage underneath, such as wood chips or shredded rubber. Most importantly…adult supervision is a must!
DON’T LET YOUR CAR SEAT SAFETY STOP SHORT!
Car Accidents are the leading cause of death among children in the US.
7 out of 10 kids in child safety seats are not properly buckled in. Throughout Long Island there are inspection centers to check the installation of your baby car seat or booster seat. Don’t take a chance – have your car seat inspected and call 1-866-SEAT-CHECK to find a location near you.
WHEN IT COMES TO KIDS NEAR WATER…KEEP YOUR EYES WIDE OPEN!
Sadly, over 1,000 children drown each year. Half drown in their own pool. Doctors cannot stress enough the importance of SUPERVISION, SUPERVISION, SUPERVISION. Adult eyes need to be on children in the pool at all times. Many times, drowning is silent and, with no warning signals, rescuing becomes too late. All parents should be CPR certified. Use extra precautions by putting up a fence with self-closing and self-latching gates around your pool. Remember, it takes only one inch of water for a child to drown. Bathtubs, buckets, toilets, spas, pails, hot tubs and wading pools also put your child at risk for drowning.
WHY WINDOWS SHOULD STAY CLOSED!
Almost 5,000 E.R. visits per year are caused by falls from open windows, usually in the home.
Window screens are meant to keep the bugs out, not the children in. Even a ground floor window fall could be fatal for a child. The best way to cut the risk to your child is by installing child safety guards and or locks on all windows. By keeping furniture away from windows, small children won’t be tempted to climb onto the furniture and possibly fall out the window. Open the tops rather than the bottoms of double hung windows. If you have to open a window bottom, be sure it is not open more than 4 inches.
BOILING HOT TIP!
Scalds (2nd degree burns) are the leading cause of death in the home for children under the age of 4. Most second-degree burns are the result of boiling hot liquid. Spills from the stove and too-hot bathwater are the most likely sources in the home. Pots should always be put on the back burners with the handle turned so that it does not hang over the counter for someone to bump into or for little hands to grab. Always turn off the faucet and check the bathwater temperature before putting your child in the tub. Water heaters should not be set to more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the burn blisters, destroys the top layer of skin, is on the hands, feet, face, or genitals there is risk of scarring and infection. A doctor should examine the burn as soon as possible.
NEVER, EVER LEAVE YOUR CHILD ALONE IN A CAR!
Temperatures reach 160 degrees in minutes in a closed shut vehicle.
Lock your car doors at all times. Keep the keys out of reach. Children can climb into the car to play. Even on a 60 degree day, the rise in temperature in the car can eventually become deadly. Parents have left their children in the car while they run into the store for “just a minute” and have come out to find their child suffering from heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Take your child into the store with you!
HOVERING OVER DANGER!
Common injuries include concussions, fractures, contusions and abrasions.
Hoverboards are the new phenomena and one of the most popular toys on the market today. Unfortunately, it is basically a hands free self-balancing electric scooter. Parents should not wait until safety standards are established. Doctors are urging people to stay off them. But if that is not an option for you they stress that users, children and adults, should wear a helmet, elbow and knee pads, along with wrist guards. Be sure your child is on the hoverboard correctly. Meaning, your child’s weight should be centered and a wide stance used. Be sure the hoverboard is calibrated prior to using. Step off the board to the back and not forward. Most falls occur when you try to get off stepping forward. Stand up straight and look forward not down.
