Most parents know their children should always be supervised when they are in or near water. Wearing a bike helmet has also become a routine for most kids.
But these types of safety tips for kids are most frequently overlooked during the summer, according to an article from The Baltimore Sun that was published in The Record of Bergen County, N.J. Heeding basic safety tips can help reduce the chances that your child will end up in the emergency room this summer. The article says children will visit the emergency room more than 3 million times, and more than 2,500 will die from accidental injuries this summer.
To make sure your kids stay safe, check out the playground where they play. Make sure it has an appropriate surface, such as sand, wood chips, pea gravel or rubber matting. There should be lots of room between equipment so that children can run around or fall without hitting anything. Make sure there aren't any moving parts that could crush a finger, the story says.
When it comes to water, make sure your children are not only properly supervised, but properly educated. They must know they should never swim alone. Teach them to never jump or dive into water if they don't know what's beneath the surface, particularly in lakes or quarries. If you have a pool, make sure there are adults nearby who are trained in life-saving techniques. Make sure the pool is properly secured so that children can't get in without an adult. Make sure rescue equipment and a phone are nearby at all times. Don't let children who can't swim use a "floatie." That gives them a false sense of security and they can quickly get into deep water and into trouble, according to the story.
Scooters can be fun, but also dangerous. To find out more about that, you can read this information from Kidsource. Not all accidents occur outside the home. For information on how to make your home a safer place, you can read this article from the National Safety Council.
