Summer safety: Keeping kids out of the emergency room

Emergency room doctors call summer "trauma season" – especially for children. Kids have more free time, and many parents cannot always keep a close eye on them.

• Kids who are 5 to 9 usually mean well, but you can't rely on their sense of safety.
• It seems normal to let 10 to 14 year-olds spend time unsupervised. But that’s when they may try things they know are wrong and that put them in danger.

Practical guidelines

These guidelines can help you and your children enjoy a safe summer.

Sun protection: Children and adults should wear sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. Babies younger than 6 months should not be in direct sunlight. Try to keep them in the shade.

Outdoor activity in the heat: Make sure kids drink water before beginning prolonged activity. They should also have something to drink every 20 minutes or so during the activity, whether they're thirsty or not. This helps prevent dehydration and heat-related illnesses.

Water safety: Never leave a child alone in or near a pool or at the beach. Make sure an adult who knows life-saving techniques, such as rescue breathing and CPR, is supervising.

Inflatable devices, such as inner tubes, do not provide any great measure of safety. Kids who wear them still need constant adult supervision.

Try to enroll your children in swimming lessons, even if they protest. It's one of the best ways for them to learn to be safe around the water.

Window screens: It's easy to dislodge a window screen by leaning against it. Each year, thousands of children visit hospital emergency rooms for window-related accidents; some even die.

• Children have been known to fall out windows that were open only about five inches. So take these injury prevention steps:
• Consider putting guards on all windows.
• Move all furniture away from windows.

Scooters, skateboards and bicycles: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children younger than…

• 12 should not ride motorized scooters
• 10 should not use skateboards without adult supervision
• 8 should not use scooters without adult supervision
• 5 should not use skateboards

Young children are at high risk of injury because they're unable to judge their own skills and strength accurately.

Whenever children use scooters, skateboards or bicycles, make sure they take these steps:

• Wear protective gear (helmet, knee and elbow pads).
• Ride in low-traffic areas. Avoid busy streets and traffic.
• Ride in the daytime. Don't go out at night.

Related Links

Emergency medicine specialists

Pediatrics

Dealing with emergencies

Reviewed by: Paul Kleeberg, MD, medical director, Allina.com