Summer is a time for childhood memory-making. It is for days spent at the pool, playing outside, celebrating with family and friends, and traveling to see and experience new things.
Unfortunately, summer can also be a time when children can easily get hurt, or even die, if safety precautions are not taken. To save children from the harm that summer can bring, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta released its 2014 Summer Safety Tips.
Tips focused on five aspects of summer safety that parents, childcare workers, and even children can put into practice to ensure a healthy, safe and happy summer. The five aspects Children's Healthcare of Atlanta covered included water, travel and play, sun and skin, heat and fireworks safety.
According to James Fortenberry, M.D., Pediatrician-in-Chief, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death in children age 14 and younger.
Summer is an exciting time for kids," said Fortenberry. "With that excitement comes an added responsibility for parents and children to educate themselves on what they can do to ensure a safe and healthy summer.”
No matter the summer vacation plans, parents need to take summer safety very seriously. Educating oneself on how to have a safe family summer is key. The tips from Children's Healthcare of Atlanta include:
Water Safety
Practicing water safety for kids of all ages is vitally important. The second leading cause of unintentional death for children aged 14 years and under is drowning. Parents need to practice water safety including pool, boat, swimming, life jacket and general water safety to help prevent any issues from occurring.
Play & Travel Safety
In the summer, families tend to spend more time playing outside and traveling. Parents can keep kids safe by encouraging them to follow road rules on a bicycle, and buckling in car seats appropriately. Also, make sure to test playground equipment to make sure it's not too hot.
Sun & Skin Safety
Three percent of pediatric cancer comes from melanoma, the most dangerous form of skin cancer, which can spread quickly throughout parts of the body. Use sunblock and protective clothing to guard against sunburn and the permanent effects that excessive sun exposure can have on a child.
Heat Safety
Heat-related illnesses are completely preventable, yet children die from these illnesses every year. Children need to be kept well-hydrated and parents need to know the signs of heat illnesses and how to protect kids from them.
Fireworks Safety
Let the professionals handle fireworks and keep kids away from them at all costs. Even sparklers, which many people think of as safe, can reach temperatures above 1000 degrees Fahrenheit. They can burn both the users and bystanders alike.
Summer time should not be spent in the hospital. With some precautions and forward thinking, children can be kept safe and parents can have peace of mind.
Sources:
CHOA.org. Web. 28 May 2014. "Summer Safety."
http://www.choa.org/Child-Health-Glossary/Summer-Safety and
http://www.choa.org/about-childrens/newsroom/news-and-announcements/2014-summer-safety-series
AAP.org. Web. 28 May 2014. "Summer Safety Tips."
http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Summer-Safety-Tips.aspx#sthash.nKIrLZq5.dpuf
Reviewed May 29, 2014
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith