Many families participate in outdoor activities during the summer. It’s a great way to get active and spend time together as a family, but being outdoors exposes kids to additional health risks. There are more ER visits in the summer than in any other season.
Do You Have an Emergency Plan in Place?
In a medical emergency, it’s critical to stay calm and take immediate action. A health advisor can help you set up an emergency plan that includes important medical information, a list of doctors to call, preferred hospitals, and the best way to get there. If someone in your family experiences a health crisis, you’ll know exactly what to do.
John F. Wheary, DO, MBA, FACEP, is a board certified emergency physician with over 25 years of experience and a Senior Advisor with Better Health Advisors. He says, “It is always important to have a plan for emergencies. The following tips will help keep your family safe and avoid an unnecessary visit to the emergency department.”
Keep Your Kids Out of the ER with These Tips
Animals
Teach your kids how to behave around animals they don’t know. Many children love animals, especially if they have pets at home, but animals can be dangerous. Teaching kids about safe boundaries with animals is extremely important. Never approach animals while they are eating. Allow animals plenty of space, and do not get close to their face. If an animal looks sick, injured, or angry, avoid it.
Bug Bites
Always use insect repellent when your kids play outside. The EPA recommends that, for safety reasons, parents avoid spraying bug spray directly onto children. Instead, apply it to your hands and then put it on the child. Remember to check for ticks after kids spend time in grassy or wooded areas. Wearing long pants can also prevent tick bites. If your child has any serious symptoms, such as a rash or fever, after playing outside, contact a doctor.
Flip-flops
Flip-flops are fine for a casual summer stroll. However, when going to the park, camp, or other active destinations, make sure your child wears sneakers or shoes comfortable for running. Children in flip-flops sustain more serious ankle and foot injuries than other children. Don’t let your child’s footwear put them at risk.
Heat
Children, especially infants, are very sensitive to heat. Avoid overheating by following these steps:
- Encourage kids to drink liquids such as water and sports drinks.
- Dress infants and children in loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing.
- Schedule outdoor activities for morning and evening hours to avoid the heat of the day.
- Never leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.
Helmets
Have your child wear a helmet while riding bikes, trikes, scooters, skates, skateboards, or hoverboards. Start with a helmet on your child’s very first ride; children who learn to ride with a helmet will prefer riding with a helmet to riding without. Insist on the helmet to keep your child safe on their first ride and beyond.
Slide Safety
Riding down a slide on a parent's lap can be dangerous for toddlers. Riding down a slide on a parent's lap can be dangerous for toddlers. Between 2002 and 2015, an estimated 350,000 emergency room visits were for children five years old and younger who were injured on playground slides. Winthrop University Hospital in Mineola, NY, found that nearly 14% of pediatric leg fractures over an 11-month period involved toddlers riding down the slide with a parent. If your child is too young to handle the slide alone, steer them elsewhere on the playground.
Sun
In the summer, the sun is strong even when it’s cloudy outside. Protect your child’s skin by applying sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater) before they leave the house. Make sure your child has an easy spray-on or face-stick sunscreen for frequent reapplication during the day. Reapply often if kids are swimming or outside for many hours at a time. Also, use UV sunglasses and hats to protect them from prolonged sun exposure.
Trampolines
In 2018, more than 110,000 people visited emergency rooms for trampoline-related injuries, and more than 300,000 people required medical treatment. More than 90% of trampoline injuries are sustained by children and typically involve sprains or fractures in the arms and legs. Most trampoline injuries do not occur because kids fall off the trampoline, but because another child lands on them or they do something inappropriate, such as riding a bike on the trampoline. If you have a trampoline, make sure only one person uses it at a time—with supervision.
Vehicle Safety
Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of unintentional injury and death in the U.S., per the CDC. The experts note that children under 13 should always be in the backseat with the proper restraints. Even if your kids pressure you by telling you their friends ride in the front seat, remember that their safety is paramount. The backseat is the safest area of a vehicle – no matter how short the drive. And always wear your seatbelts!
Water Safety
Start teaching your children water safety early, and always supervise them, even if they are proficient in the water. Make sure they know how to swim and that they only swim when there’s a lifeguard on duty, especially in the ocean, where the water can be unpredictable. Encourage children to wear foot protection, like aqua socks, in lakes, rivers, and ponds. Ensure that your kids know to never dive headfirst in shallow water and always swim with a buddy or an adult.
Teach Your Children to Dial 911
Emergencies can be scary for children, especially if a friend or family member needs help fast. Teaching your child how and when to dial 911 empowers them to get help fast in an emergency. Make sure they know your location and how to recognize first responders.
Emergency Room Tips
"Any injury that results in a loss of consciousness in a child should result in a trip to the ER, probably by ambulance," says Jessica Fleischer-Black, MD, Emergency Physician and Senior Health Consultant with Better Health Advisors.
If possible, avoid going to the emergency room on Monday afternoons and evenings (as these are the busiest times). Bring a friend or advocate to assist you, and bring a phone charger.
The ER isn’t always your best option. For lacerations or scrapes, head to urgent care. For a break or sprain, consider going to a specialized orthopedic urgent care center.
For help creating an emergency plan for your family or navigating other aspects of the healthcare system, reach out to an expert health advisor.
