Sharon Evans is a Trauma Injury Prevention Outreach Coordinator for Cook Children’s. She was in studio with some great advice for preventing summertime injuries.

Q: Do injuries and deaths really increase in the summer?
A:
• Deaths due to Drowning increase 89% (at CCMC we’ve seen 32 drowning injuries with 2 deaths and 2 with devastating brain injuries.)
• Deaths due to bike injuries increase 45 %
• MVC deaths increase by 20%
• Pedestrian deaths increase by 16%

Q: What are some ways parents can help ensure their child’s safety?

A: ACTIVE Supervision and consistent enforcement of safety rules

Q: In cars what can they do?

A: Always have your child properly restrained. Safe Kids Tarrant County hold free car seat checks and from their statistics we see that 98% of the car safety seats are used incorrectly. Don’t risk your child’s life….have your safety seat checked by a certified child passenger safety technician (SKTC 682-885-2634)

Q: What about on bikes, skateboards, scooters….?

A: Everyone, but especially children need to ALWAYS wear a helmet! Apart from MVC’s, bikes are tied to more injuries than any other equipment.
• Children 1-4 yrs old are 5 x’s more likely to be injured in bike crashes than riders 15 yrs and older
• 100% use of helmets for children 5-14 yr could prevent between 135 & 155 deaths and 39,000-45,000 head injuries.
• Helmet use decreases risk of head injury by 85%
Question 5. What about ATV’s?

ATV’s are not toys, they are powerful, motorized vehicles. They can weigh up to 600 lbs and reach speeds of 60 mph. Males under 16 yrs old are at the highest risk for injury. We see many children with broken bones and often serious head and spinal injuries. Safety measures to follow include….
• Attend an ATV driver’s safety course
• Ride an age appropriate ATV. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that no one under 16 yrs old ride a full size ATV
• Provide CONSTANT supervision
• Never carry passengers, unless the ATV is designed for this
• ALWAYS wear an approved helmet with eye protection and appropriate clothes and shoes at a BARE minimum

Q: What about trampolines?

A: Over 125,000 children (14 yrs and under) are treated for trampoline injuries every year. Some of these can be extremely serious including head, neck and spinal cord injuries.

Here are some safety tips:
• Allow only one person on the trampoline at a time
• Do not attempt or allow somersaults (landing on head/neck can cause paralysis, fractures)
• Always supervise children who use a trampoline
• Safety enclosures help prevent falls off a trampoline, but do not substitute safety precautions!