Summer Safety for Kids

          Here we are in June… the traditional start of summer!  For most people it means beaches, barbeques and biking, but at and other hospitals, we also know that summer is a time of increased injuries – many of which are unintentional.  Because hundreds of thousands of children visit emergency rooms each summer – over 200,000 for playground injuries alone! – our physicians offer some tips for keeping kids safe:

Downstate LICH’s Pediatric ER treats many kids each summer who fall from climbing equipment.  Pediatric Emergency Room specialists remind you that:

• Hoodies and drawstrings on your kids’ clothing can catch on playground equipment and injure your child. Additionally, over-exposure to the sun can happen as easily on the playground as at the beach – don’t forget the sunscreen.

Did you know that teens are twice as likely to be involved in fatal car crashes as adults? In addition to obvious warnings not to drink and drive, not to text or speak on cell phones and never to drive without buckling up, our pediatric intensive care experts say:

• The majority of accidents involving teens occur at night – restrict nighttime driving until they’re 18.  

All bicyclists share space with cars, but our neighborhood’s narrow streets means we have to make sure our kids are particularly careful. Remind them to ride in single file, watch out for opening car doors and always, always wear a helmet. Downstate LICH’s orthopedists would like parents to know that:

• Wrist and knee guards prevent up to 87% of breaks

Swimming is one of the great joys of summer. It’s a good idea to invest in swimming lessons, although you should never leaving them unattended at the beach or the pool.  The paramedics of Downstate LICH add this tip:

• If you are not sure how deep the water is, prevent head injury by always jumping feet first

The kids are experts at social media, aren’t they? Tell them to follow the National Safety Council on Twitter at @NSCsafety for these and other tips.

Yours in good health, Debra

Taking lots of pictures of the kids this summer? Contact me at debracarey.ceo@downstate.edu, and we’ll send you a Downstate LICH flash drive - free!