Summer safety for school-age children
Date :
Tuesday, June 16 2009
Source:
Guadalupe Lore
With schools closed for the summer and your school-age child at home, you may have plans to go on camping trips or spending more time outside. This is wonderful and will be a great experience for your child. You will just have to keep in mind a few simple facts about outside play in the summer.
It is reported that there are more emergency room visits with product-related injuries during the warm months. But the good news is that most of these injuries can be prevented if you and your child keep safety in mind. Here are a few tips to help you keep your children (and yourself) safe this summer:
- If you own a home playground or other kind of play equipment so your child can climb, make sure it is on the right surface. Packed dirt or concrete are too hard and can hurt a child if she falls. You will need to add a thick layer of mulch, wood chips or rubber mulch to the surface to make it safer.
- Your child probably enjoys riding bicycles, scooters, horses or skating. Make a rule about using a helmet. Each sport or activity has its own need for head protection, so have ready the specific helmet needed for each activity and each child. It doesn’t matter if he is just going around the block, he should wear a helmet. Head injuries can be devastating and they can be easily prevented.
- Home trampolines are not recommended but they are very popular in back yards. If you still want to use one at your home, make sure the area around it is clear of other equipment, and that it is not too close to fences, trees, houses or anything that the child could hit if he fell from the trampoline. Make a rule about only one person allowed at a time. And don’t allow your child to do flips in the air. Get a frame pad to cover the springs. Remind your child to remove necklaces or things around their neck before jumping. There should be spotters on all sides of the trampoline as it is being used. It doesn’t matter if you are watching your child to make sure he is using it properly. More than half of the injuries caused on a trampoline happen while a parent is watching.
- Protect your child’s skin: use sunscreen. It takes about 30 minutes for it to start working, so apply the sunscreen long before he is outside. You will have to reapply every two or three hours or more often if your child is sweating a lot or playing with water -- even if it is “waterproof.” Provide a shady area where your child can play away from the sun, especially between 10 am and 4 pm, when you get more UV exposure. Your child should also wear a hat with a wide brim that shades the ears and neck area. Remember to buy sunscreen with SPF of 30 or higher for your child. Look for a sunscreen that is “broad-spectrum” that will protect him from UVA and UVB rays.
- Mosquitoes and ticks are out! One good way to prevent their bites is covering up. Light clothing that covers legs and arms will help. Apply a good repellent that contains DEET. This can also be applied to clothes for extra protection. If you are taking your child hiking or playing in a wooded area or low grass, make sure you check for ticks often. If the clothes are light colored, it is easier to see the ticks before they attach themselves to the skin. When you are checking for ticks make sure you look in hidden areas, like behind ears, in the hairs or in body joints.
- Don’t allow your child to be around you while you mow the lawn. Sometimes flying objects come out of the mower and this could injure whoever is around the area. If you have a ride-on mower don’t allow your child to ride as a passenger, as this is very dangerous!
- If you have a pool in your yard, remind your child that he ALWAYS needs an adult swimming buddy. Even if he can swim it is not safe to have him alone in the water. Be sure in-ground pools are fenced and that gates are locked at all times.
- Make sure your child stays well-hydrated, especially if he is very active in high temperatures. And even if he is not feeling thirsty, have him drink fluids often.
Summer is short in Wyoming, but there are a lot of fun activities you can do with your child during this season. Just be safe and enjoy!