Get Into The Swing of Summer Safety

      Family Features 

Summer is a time of playground fun, swimming, boating, biking, camping and other outdoor activities. Unfortu­nately, these activities can lead to a higher risk of injuries.

Playground 101
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that every year emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries.
•    Choose parks and playgrounds that are appropriate for their age and offer shock-absorbing surfaces. 
•    Teach children that pushing and shoving on the
playground can result in accidents and injuries.
•    Remind kids to go down the slide one at a time and to wait until the slide is completely clear before taking their turn. Teach them to always sit facing forward with their legs straight in front of them and to never slide down headfirst.
•    Remind children to swing sitting down. Encourage them to wait until the swing stops before getting off and to be careful when walking in front of moving swings.

Make a Safe Splash
While playing poolside may be a blast, Safe Kids Worldwide reports that drowning is the leading cause of injury-related death for children ages 1 to 4 and it is the third leading cause of injury-related death among children 19 and under. Additionally, University of Michigan Health Systems estimates that each year about 6,000 young people under age 14 are hospitalized because of a diving injury, with one in five sustaining a spinal cord injury.
•    Teach children to never swim alone or go near water without an adult present. 
•    Give children your undivided attention when they are swimming or are near any body of water.
•    Always jump in feet first to check the depth before
diving into any body of water. 
•    Never dive in the shallow end of the pool or into above-ground pools.
Fun on the Water
Boating, tubing and other water sports can be great fun but can also be dangerous. Accord­ing to the U.S. Coast Guard, nearly 71 per­cent of all boating fatalities are caused from drowning, 85 percent of which are a result of not wearing a life jacket.
•    Always have children wear a Coast Guard-approved, properly fitted life jacket while on a boat, around an open body of water or when participating in water sports.
•    Educate yourself. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 86 percent of boating accident deaths involve boaters who have not completed a safety course.
•    Always check water conditions and forecasts before going out on the water.
 
Mowing Matters
Thousands of children are injured in lawn mower accidents each year, some severely. Lawn mower injuries account for a large percentage of accidental amputations according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The Academy cautions that the speed of a typical lawn mower blade can send dirt and bacteria deep into a wound, creating a high risk 
for severe infection. 
•    Teach children to never play on or around a lawn mower, even when it is not in use. They should never be permitted to walk beside, in front of or behind a moving mower. 
•    Children under 6 years of age should be kept inside the home while mowing.
•    Children should be at least 12 years of age before operating a push lawn mower and at least 16 years of age
before operating a riding lawn mower.