Help Your Kids Avoid the Emergency Room This Summer

By Brigham Temple, MD

Summer is a time to enjoy the outdoors, but for all of the fun activities it brings—pool parties, boat trips, barbeques, bicycling, and more—your local hospital emergency room will see more activity.  More than 40 percent of all children’s injuries requiring an emergency room visit happen between May and August. But most summer injuries can be prevented. Keep an eye out for these common injuries that are likely to occur when outside.

BURNS

Fireworks, barbeques, campfires, and fire pits are all integral parts of summer but they do come with increased risk for burns.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 300 children are treated each day in emergency rooms for burns. It is important for adults to always watch children around an outdoor fire. Even when the fire is extinguished, look out for white ashes, which can remain searing hot and can cause burns to hands, legs and faces.  Emergency rooms will also see injuries resulting from spraying lighter fluid into barbeque grills.  The fire can light the arc of fluid all the way up to the container, which can explode in the hand. And of course, the Fourth of July is notorious for injuries related to fireworks. Even the smaller fireworks, like sparklers, can be dangerous, burning at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s best to leave the fireworks to professionals who specialize in these types of displays.

FALLS

According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries to children. Warm temperatures mean more open windows and for children, more time climbing on playground equipment. As always, increased supervision is crucial for safety. Watching kids and removing the hazards in their environment can help prevent a mishap. Install bars or a childproof gate on windows and don't allow kids to play on balconies or roofs. When playing outside, help keep kids safe by choosing playgrounds with a thick covering of shredded tire or mulch versus concrete or blacktop. Avoid the risk of tripping and losing balance by having children wear sneakers with rubber soles, as opposed to Crocs or flip-flops.

BICYCLE, SKATEBOARD AND ROLLERBLADE INJURIES

Head injuries resulting from skateboarding, bicycling or rollerblading accidents are also more common in summer. Helmets, which are legally required for children, are a good idea for everyone. A very high percentage of head injuries can be prevented by wearing a helmet. It’s also important to be sure the bicycle fits correctly. A good helmet will comfortably touch the head all the way around, remaining level and stable enough to resist hard blows, and should be secured with a strap that’s comfortably snug. Also, it is common to fall on outstretched hands when riding on skateboards or rollerblading, but this can often lead to wrist fractures, which is why wearing wrist guards is another important safety precaution.

DROWNING

Most child drownings happen between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It is recommended that children are never left unattended near water of any depth, as they can drown in as little as one inch of water. Parents and other adults who are supervising children should remain within an arm’s length of them in the water. Water activities can be dangerous for adults, too, even if they know how to swim, since many people who drown had no intention of being in the water. It is important not to take risks. If you are going to ride on a Jet Ski, water ski or wake board, always be sure to wear a life jacket. Alcohol and boating can be a deadly combination, as well, so never operate a boat or Jet Ski while drinking.

Brigham Temple, MD, is an emergency medicine physician at NorthShore University HealthSystem