Experts share tips for Summer safety

Experts share tips for Summer safety

By Bryan Lawver           

As Summer approaches, Pittsburgh parents may be left wondering how best to care for their kids.  Health experts weighed in about the best ways to keep kids safe this Summer.

One of the most common and potentially serious Summer health hazards is the threat of traumatic injuries resulting from falls.  Accidental falls are the cause of the most non-fatal injuries in children, and the problem is worse in the Summer months, according to Meri-K Appy, President and CEO of the Home Safety Council (http://www.homesafetycouncil.org), headquartered in Washington, D.C.

“Sometimes emergency room doctors refer to Summer as trauma season because so many accidents result in trips to the ER,” Appy said. 

Bike Safety

Bicycling is a popular Summer activity for both kids and adults, but for all its benefits, it also has risks.  Bicycle-related injuries result in more than 500,000 hospital visits annually, with just over half of those treated being under 15 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control. 

Health care professionals and experts agree that the most important concern when bicycling is protecting the head from injury.  They also agree that the best way to do this is by simply wearing a helmet. 

“I cannot overemphasize the importance of wearing a helmet.  Head injuries are the most preventable injury,” Dr. John Tucker of Pittsburgh said. 

Head injuries make up a relatively low percentage of total bicycling injuries, but account for many more severe injuries than the most commonly injured areas, the wrist and ankle. 

Still, a study by Dr. Gregory Rodgers published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission showed that only 18 percent of bicyclists reported wearing a helmet all or most of the time while riding. 

“I think people don't wear helmets because they lack real understanding of how bad things can be if they go wrong,” Appy said. 

Appy related the story of her older brother, who she described as “a very serious biker.”  Her brother once fell off a trail during a race, hitting his head on a rock.  His helmet cracked, but still protected his head.  Appy said that it was the only thing that kept him from being paralyzed. 

Such a vivid demonstration is not required to convince children to wear helmets.  Often, all that is necessary is for children to see their parents practicing proper safety. 

“The number one predictor of whether a child will wear a helmet later in life is whether the child's parents wear helmets,” Appy said. 

Dr. Tucker recommended that, while wearing a helmet is important, parents should take care to ensure that bicycles and any other equipment is also in good shape. 

“Life-threatening injuries are minimized by using equipment safely,” Tucker said. 

Both Appy and Dr. Tucker also advised parents to instruct their children about observing road rules while riding in the city. 

Playgrounds

Falls can also occur when children are playing on unsafe playground equipment, or using even well-made equipment unsafely.  The nature of playgrounds makes it highly likely that children will fall at some point, but that does not mean that injuries are inevitable, according to Barbara Butler,  designer and builder of children's play structures.

“You want kids to try things like climbing a wall and if they fall, you want them to be able to get up, brush themselves off and get back up there,” Butler said. 

Butler stressed the importance of building playgrounds with proper materials to prevent injuries. 

“Redwood and cedar are perfect.  They're strong, but soft enough to reduce injuries if kids fall on them,” Butler said. 

She said that she prefers wood to plastic and metal because wooden equipment is easier to replace if broken, and safer for kids. 

“I think we should keep natural material next to kids, especially since they're always putting hands on things and then near their mouths,” Butler said. 

As with bicycles, the most important safety concern when dealing with playground equipment is to protect the head from injury. 

“A fall off climbing equipment can really be much more serious than people realize,” Appy said.  “It can result not only in broken bones but in head trauma.” 

To minimize the risk of injury, Butler and Appy suggested that parents consider the ground under and around playground equipment, called the “use zone” or “soft surfacing.” 

Both said that rubber mulch and pea gravel are the best choices for surfacing. 

“Rubber mulch is made from recycled tires.  It's really springy so you can use less of it, but it's more expensive,” Butler said. 

Whatever material is used, Butler and Appy suggested that it should be eight to 12 inches thick.

How far the mulch should be spread is determined by what types of equipment is being used.  Swings, for instance, required a larger use zone than monkey bars.

“You want to make sure that if kids jump off swings, they don't land on something hard,” Butler said. 

When incorporating swings into a playground, Butler also said that parents should make sure that enough space is provided to keep kids from running into one another. 

Butler also recommended that children do not wear bicycle helmets or clothing with drawstrings on playgrounds. 

“Drawstrings can get caught and potentially choke or trip a child,” Butler said.  “And playgrounds weren't designed for kids wearing helmets so there is a possibility of getting your head stuck somewhere with a helmet.” 

Swimming

A less common, but more serious health concern is the risk of drowning. 

“When you see someone drowning on TV there is a lot of splashing and noise, but that's just not how it happens,” Appy said.  “A drowning is very fast and totally silent.” 

The best way to prevent drowning is with close supervision.  Appy said that while supervising children swimming, a parent should have nothing to distract them.  She also recommended that parents work together to take turns watching children. 

“Kids get into trouble during lapses of supervision,” Appy said.  “It's that classic 'the moment my back was turned' incident.” 

Though supervision is the most important precaution, Appy also recommended that parents install fences around pools to prevent small children from swimming unattended and covers on drains to help keep hair or bathing suits from getting stuck. 
The Price of Preparedness

With so much to look out for, parents often pass their own fear onto their children, which can lead to major anxiety problems, according to Tamar Chansky, Founder and Director of the Children's Center for OCD and Anxiety (http://www.worrywisekids.org). 

“Parents can create stress inadvertently by focusing just on the danger of a situation and not the solution,” Chanky said. 

Anxiety disorders occur in 13 to 20 percent of children, according to Chansky, author of “Freeing Your Child From Anxiety,” so any adult looking after a large group of children is likely to encounter children with anxiety problems. 

These children tend to focus on only the negative parts of a safety warning, taking advice to an unhealthy extreme.

“I see kids who go through the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program and are now afraid to touch cleaners in their house because they're afraid they might inhale them,” Chansky said. 

Chansky advised parents to ask their children what they should do to remain safe, instead of constantly reiterating dangers.  Allowing children to answer questions will give children “a sense of competency and control,” according to Chansky. 

Appy also said that parents should take a more participatory role when warning children of danger. 

“The Home Safety Council's approach is that your actions are going to speak more loudly than words anyway,” Appy said. 

Parents should always practice proper safety procedures and encourage children to do the same, according to Appy. 

“If you make this a common practice, it just becomes natural so it's not a doom and gloom sort of thing,” Appy said. 

Chansky agreed that safety should be a regular part of life, rather than something for which time must be set aside to lecture.  Teaching children about safety in a calm, familiar way can reduce the stress of being given too many warning at once, according to Chansky.

“It's better to have a couple talks than to just blurt everything out at once,” Chansky said.  “Safety is like anything else.  You wouldn't try to teach your kids math in one day.” 

Bryan Lawver is a photojournalism student at Point Park University. He can be reached at belawve@pointpark.edu