Teach kids to play it safe this summer
Youngsters received free bike helmets and fittings at Backus Hospital's Safety Camp in May. |
LIFE STAR helicopter was a big hit at Safety Camp. |
Laurentiu Galan, MD, a pediatrician on the Backus medical staff, said safety tips differ for different ages, but some things are universal, such as sun and water safety.
For all children, it's important to wear sun block and reapply as needed. Dr. Galan said an SPF of 30 is fine. Infants need to wear hats.
"Their head is a large portion of their body surface and it should be protected," he said. Children also should wear sunglasses.
Children younger than 6 months shouldn't be exposed to the sun at all, but kept in shaded areas.
"Babies can be extremely sensitive to the sun and burn very easily after just a few minutes," he said.
To protect from insects, insect repellent should be used. For children younger than 2, it should be DEET-free.
Water safety is also a top concern for all ages.
"We don't recommend infants, younger than 1, to go in pools or ponds. Their gross motor skills are not that great," he said.
Also, even in kiddie pools, infants can ingest water and get water poisoning, which can cause seizures.
Small children shouldn't be alone in water. A parent should be near them and they should use flotation devices.
"Even older children shouldn't be unsupervised," Dr. Galan said. "A parent should be right on the edge of the pool or watching from the shore."
Fire safety tips were offered at Safety Camp. |
David Coletti, MD, director of trauma services at Backus, said another danger is cervical spine injuries from children diving or jumping into shallow water in pools or ponds. He said the depth should always be checked before jumping in a body of water.
Dr. Coletti said he has seen an increase in wave runner accidents in the last five years.
"More people are using them, getting more comfortable with them and not paying attention," he said. "I think they are underappreciated in the injury they can cause."
Every season a few campfire burns also happen. He said children need to be warned of the dangers and should be supervised around campfires.
Bike helmets are important to preventing head injury. To impress the importance of proper headgear, Backus hosts an annual Safety Camp in May, where hundreds of helmets are fitted and given away. Other topics at the camp include fire safety, boat and water safety.
"We are trying to raise awareness that these injuries are often preventable with vigilance and proper safety, and that the incidence and severity of these types of traumas can be reduced," Dr. Coletti said.