Choose age-appropriate parks/playgrounds and supervise children at all times.
Only one child on trampoline at a time and only when supervised by a responsible adult.
Keep younger children away from lawn mowers and follow age recommendations for mower use.
Always watch children closely when in or near any water.
Wear life jackets that are tight, fully buckled and the right size.
Keep children away from matches, lighters, grills, fires and home fireworks.
Join our mailing list to stay up to date on everything that's happening at Shriners Children's.
Summer is a time of going to the playground, swimming, boating, biking, camping and other outdoor activities. Unfortunately, in addition to being a lot of fun for children, these activities can lead to a higher risk of injuries.
To public health and medical professionals, summer is often known as “trauma season” because unintentional deaths and serious injuries among children increase dramatically during these months.
Since learning how to avoid accidents can prevent many of these injuries, our summer safety campaign serves to share tips related to playground, swimming, boating, lawn mower and fire safety.
Every year, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries.
The Centers for Disease Control reported that every year emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries.*
Before your kids head outside to play, be sure to keep these precautions in mind:
* Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and healthychildren.org
Bouncing is fun! Whether it be on trampolines or in bounce houses, jumping is something most children and teenagers enjoy. Unfortunately, injuries are common with these activities. Typical trampoline injuries include broken bones, strains and sprains. Paralysis and fatal injury can also occur.
According to an American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ release: Nearly one-third of trampoline injuries involved fractures; 60% of the fractures were located in the upper extremities and approximately 36% in the lower extremities. Most trampoline injuries occur in the home environment, and more than 90% are sustained by children, usually those between the ages of 5 and 14 years.
Use of inflatable bouncers is also to blame for thousands of emergency room visits by children each year.
Read and follow these tips to help keep your family safe.
While a lawn mower may seem like just a common household tool, thousands of children are injured in lawn mower accidents each year, some severely. Lawn mower injuries account for a large percentage of accidental amputations, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The speed of the blade can send dirt and bacteria deep into a wound, creating a high risk for severe infection.
Most lawn mower-related injuries can be prevented by following some simple safety guidelines. Learn more.
While playing poolside may be a blast, Safe Kids Worldwide Organization reports that drowning is the leading injury-related cause of death for children ages 1-4, and it is the third leading cause of injury-related death among children 19 and under.*
Additionally, diving is the fifth leading cause of spinal cord injury for men and women, according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, with 29% of injuries affecting children up to age 18.**
Supervision and common sense can go a long way to prevent accidents and injuries. Always practice these tips to ensure your family’s safety around water:
* Sources: Safe Kids Worldwide and Shepherd Center
Boating, tubing and other water sports can be great fun, but can also be dangerous. Where cause of death was known, 80% of fatal boating accident victims drowned. Of those drowning victims with reported life jacket usage, 83% were not wearing a life jacket.*
Here is what you can do to enjoy time on the water safely:
*Recreational Boating Statistics, U.S. Coast Guard (2016)
Source: healthychildren.org
Fireworks are exciting for children and adults alike. Cooking on the grill creates tasty meals. Campfires warm, and sear marshmallows and hot dogs. However, all of these activities require precautions to ensure that you and your children have only happy summer memories.
Learn more about having fun and keeping kids safe.
