(NAPSI)—Known as “trauma season” among public health and medical professionals, summer is a time when serious injuries and unintentional deaths increase dramatically among children. Statistics show that 40 percent of all injury-related emergency room visits happen between the months of May and August. Fortunately, many of these injuries can be prevented with a few simple precautions.
“Sustaining a serious injury can be a life-altering event for a child,” said Dale Stauss, chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Hospitals for Children®. “We see patients every day with injuries caused by accidents, and we are committed to raising awareness about how to stay safe this summer.”
As experts in the treatment of pediatric orthopedic conditions, spinal cord injuries and burns, Shriners Hospitals for Children provides critical, surgical and rehabilitative care to children, regardless of the families’ ability to pay.
Shriners Hospitals encourages families to take these simple precautions to enjoy a safe, injury-free summer.
Playground 101
• Choose playgrounds that are appropriate for their age and offer shock-absorbing surfaces.
• Teach children that pushing and shoving can result in accidents and injuries.
• Remind kids to use the slide one at a time and to wait until it’s completely clear before taking their turn. Teach them to always face forward with their legs straight in front of them and to never slide down headfirst.
• Remind children to swing sitting down. Encourage them to wait until the swing stops before getting off and to be careful when walking in front of moving swings.
Make A Safe Splash
• Teach children to never swim alone or go near water without an adult present.
• Give children your undivided attention when they are swimming or are near any body of water.
• Always jump in feet first to check the depth before diving into any body of water.
• Never dive in the shallow end of the pool or into above-ground pools.
Fun On The Water
• Always have children wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved, properly fitted life jacket while on a boat, around an open body of water or when participating in water sports.
• Educate yourself. According to the Coast Guard, 86 percent of boating accident deaths involve boaters who have not completed a safety course.
• Always check water conditions and forecasts before going out on the water.
Mowing Matters
• Teach children to never play on or around a lawn mower, even when it is not in use. They should never be permitted to walk beside, in front of or behind a moving mower.
• Children under 6 years of age should be kept inside the home while you are mowing.
• Children should be at least 12 years of age before operating a push lawn mower and at least 16 years of age before operating a riding lawn mower.
Fire Safety Simplified
• Teach kids to never play with matches, gasoline, lighter fluid or lighters. Make a habit of placing these items up and away from young children.
• Do not leave children unattended near grills, campfires, fire pits or bonfires. Always have a bucket of water or fire extinguisher nearby.
• Take your child to a doctor or hospital immediately if he or she is injured in a fire or by fireworks.
Should an injury occur, the physicians and staff of Shriners Hospitals can help. To find out more about the treatments available, visit www.ShrinersHospitalsforChildren.org.
Visit www.ShrinersHospitalsforChildren.org/SafeSummer to find more tips for preventing injuries this season.