Avoiding Summer Safety Concerns Kurt Belk, ER Physician and Medical Director of The Urgency Room

Kids all over the Twin Cities are enjoying our short summer months, tackling outdoor activities at full speed! But, parents should be aware of a few things, including this startling statistic:

A study of more than 15,000 children demonstrated that emergency rooms visits for trauma in children peak in the month of June.

The truth is, spring and summer bring on some the most dangerous activities and equipment when it comes to the safety of our children. 

The top 6 offenders are:

·         Trampolines falls/injury

*In 2004 more than 89,000 people were sent to emergency rooms with trampoline-related injuries.

·         Lawn Mower

*Between 1990 and 2004 there were 140,700 lawn mower related injuries in children with a mean age of 10. These injuries included lacerations, soft tissue injuries, burns and fractures.

·         Playground falls/accidental strangulation

*Every year ER departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries with children ages 5 to 9 being at the highest risk

·         Swimming pool/accidental drownings

·         Bike/Skateboard/pedestrian accidents/head injuries (driveway/road related)

·         Burns/both recreational and sun related

The fact is, our children are going to participate in all of these activities, and we cannot always protect them. Accidents happen and are terrifying for both the child and parent, but knowing which activities and items are most dangerous is an important first step to prevention and hopefully a beautiful, enjoyable and INJURY-FREE summer vacation!