Summer Of Safety
With summer now in full swing, approximately 151,000 children ages 14 and under who live in Delaware are out and about every day doing the things kids love to do in the summer, including swimming, biking, going to the movies and playing in the park. They’re things we all did growing up. They’re part of being a kid.
There are dangers associated with each that we don’t always recognize. And while parents and adults cannot and should not keep children from playing, socializing and enjoying themselves during this time of year, they should be prepared to address the most common accidents associated with summer activities.
As the father of two young children, ages 7 and 5, and as the Honorary Chair of the Delaware State SAFE KIDS Coalition, which is dedicated to the prevention of unintentional childhood injuries, reducing accidental injuries is a priority for me. The Coalition is a division of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and focuses on accidental injuries because they are the No. 1 killer of children ages 14 and under.
Additionally, addressing the issue of unintentional injuries, disabilities and death is one of the objectives of the Healthy Delaware 2010 report released last year. One of the report’s goals is to significantly decrease deaths due to unintentional injuries by 2010. It’s a challenging objective, but one that I believe we can achieve.
Success will depend greatly on parents and adults in the community who are responsible for supervising children and educating them on the dangers associated with certain activities.
The National SAFE KIDS Campaign estimates emergency rooms across the country this summer will treat nearly 3 million children ages 14 and under for serious injuries suffered in car crashes, drownings, bicycle accidents, falls and other incidents. More than 2,500 of these kids will die.
The increase in these types of accidents in summer months is generally attributed to children having more unsupervised free time outdoors and at home. Here’s what the National SAFE KIDS Campaign says about a few summer activities that will lead to most of those emergency room visits.
Swimming – Nearly 1,000 children drown each year. Adults should never leave a young child unsupervised around water, even if it’s a bathtub filled only a few inches and especially if it’s a pool.
Bicycles – Bikes are associated with more injuries to children than any consumer product except the automobile. In addition to teaching children about the rules of the road and to be careful around traffic, the simplest way to avoid serious accidents is insist they wear a bike helmet. That single action can reduce the risk of a head injury by up to 88 percent.
Heat – Parents need to be vigilant in keeping their children hydrated while playing on hot days. Kids absorb more heat from their environment than adults and are more susceptible to heat illness. That’s why it’s important to make sure children drink plenty of water and other beverages that don’t have caffeine when playing in the heat.
Home – While most of us associate our home as a safe haven for our children, research shows that more than 4.5 million kids are injured at home every year. Close supervision can help keep them from common hazards, such as choking, poisoning, falls and suffocation.
Firearms – While nearly two-thirds of parents who own firearms believe they have them safely stored from their kids, one study found that 75 to 80 percent of first- and second-graders knew where a gun was kept in their home. Those gun owners who live with children or have grandchildren or others who visit should secure their firearms. If you or a family member would like a gunlock, contact my office at (302) 577-8787 or (302) 744-4333 for information on the free cable locks we have been distributing as part of Project HomeSafe. Since January, we have given away nearly 20,000 locks.
There is plenty of information available to parents who would like to become better informed about hazards related to summer activities and measures they can take to protect their children. One excellent point of reference is the SAFE KIDS Campaign Web site at www.safekids.org.
However you do it, educated yourself and your children so everyone can have a happy, healthy and safe summer.
John C. Carney, Jr. is Lt. Governor of Delaware and Honorary Chair of the Delaware SAFE KIDS Coalition.
