The Most Significant Safety Hazards For Children During TheSummer

SafeHome provided an excellent list of safety hazards for children and divided them into three age groups:

• Ages 2 and below
  • Trampolines
  • Unspecified Swimming Pools
  • Swimming
  • Porches, Balconies, Open-Side Floors, Or Floor Openings
  • Other Playground Equipment
• Ages 3-10 years old
  • Swimming
  • Bicycles
  • Trampolines
  • Monkey Bars Or Other Playground Climbing Apparatus
  • Unspecified Swimming Pools
• Ages 13-17 years old
  • Bicycles
  • Swimming
  • Trampolines
  • Fishing
  • Unspecified Swimming Pools

Important Statistics For Summer Safety

SafeHome also generated a report that provided some important statistics that all families should understand and be aware of when it comes to being safe this summer. It is believed that some of this increase could be due to the effects of the pandemic.

• Emergency room visits for children rose by 14% in the summer of 2022 compared to ER visits in the summer of 2021.
• Products with the biggest increase in injuries between summer 2022 and summer 2023 are camping equipment, flying discs and boomerangs, treehouses or playhouses, diving or diving boards, and lighter fluids.
• Between June and August of 2021, over one million children went to the ER as a result of injuries from summertime products.
• The Children’s Safety Network found that almost 900 individuals aged 19 and under die from unintentional drownings every year in the United States. Drawings are the leading cause of death for children ages 1-4
• Children can drown in as little as 2-3 inches of water. This amount of water can be found in things such as small buckets, wading pools, and bathtubs.
• African American children and American Indian/Alaskan Native children drown at a higher rate than other races., according to The Children’s Safety Network.

Summer Safety Tips

Here are a few tips to help you keep your child safe this summer.

1. Wear Sunscreen – The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that families wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or 30 to ensure protection. Also, remember that you must reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming, sweating, or drying off. Parents can also consider having the child wear sun protection clothes for extra coverage. Sun protection clothes are loose-fitting, unbleached, and densely woven items that provide additional coverage from the sun.
2. Play Safe – In the summer, we spend more time outside and on playgrounds. Make sure to take time to check playground equipment before letting your child play. Sometimes playground equipment can be hot and cause burns. To solve this problem, wear play-appropriate clothing, have on sturdy sneakers, and try not to let your child wear clothes with hoods or strings that can get caught in the equipment.
3. Drink Plenty Of Water – Keep your child hydrated during these hot summer days. Limit soda, fruit juice, or energy drinks. Water is always one of the best sources of hydration. It is needed when doing any activity – playing on the playground, taking walks, playing sports, or even just sitting outside in the sun. If your child is on formula or breastfeeding, those fluids will suffice to keep your child hydrated.
4. Bug Protection – Using repellents is an important way to guard against Lyme disease, mosquitoes, and ticks. Avoid using soaps with scents or perfumes on your children. Please don’t walk around carrying sweetened beverages. They can attract bees or wasps. Try to wear long pants and long-sleeved shirts when possible when going outside, especially during the evening.
5. Water Safety – Being near and playing in the water is a much-loved activity during the hot summer months, but please be safe. Each year at least 830 children ages 14 and under die from accidental drowning. Make sure to have multiple measures for safety always in place.
6. Learn CPR – Learning CPR can help save a life in an emergency. Never leave children without adult supervision. Have barriers with alarms and look to help keep children out of pools when no adults are around. Drowning can happen quickly and silently, so please use precautions.
7. Know The SAFE code – The Safe code stands for Spot the danger, follow Advice and safety signs, stay close to Friends and Family, and know Emergency numbers to call for help.
8. Actively Seek Shade – According to John Hopkins Medicine, the sun’s rays are at their strongest between the times of 10 am and 4 pm. Make sure to seek shade as much as you can while outside.
9. Protect Babies – It’s important to keep your babies younger than 6 months old out of direct sunlight. It’s best to stay inside, but if you choose to take your baby outside, work to find shady areas, apply sunscreen, and put them in protective clothing to protect their skin.

Summer is intended to be a time of fun and relaxation, not of stress and worry. If you are not careful, there are so many things that can cause harm to your child during the summer, especially when you have your guard down. The last thing you want to do is find yourself in the emergency room with a sick or injured child. Make sure to stay aware and vigilant to protect your entire family and prevent any medical emergencies or anything that can cause damage down the line. Keep these tips in mind to ensure that you and your family have a safe, joyful summer!