Summer Safety Tips  Janet Blair Healthy Start in Child Care Child Care Health Consultant  Information from the National Safe Kids Campaign

Summer Time Activities  Take trips  Swimming  Ride bicycles, scooters, skateboards, inline skates  Walk to park and other places  Play outdoors

Tragedies Peak During Summer Months  Children are less supervised  More free time  Engage in more outdoor activities  Don’t wear proper protective gear  Forget/Don’t follow safety rules

Top 5--Summertime Risks (*All Age Groups)  Motor vehicle accidents  Drowning  Pedestrian  Biking  Falls

Babies & Toddlers Ages Years  Airway obstruction  Poison  Drowning  Falls  Motor Vehicles  Burns

Airway Obstruction Safety Tips  Cut foods lengthwise or avoid  Age Appropriate equipment  Make sure floors are free from small objects

POISON SAFETY TIPS  Keep household cleaners & dangerous objects locked away  Medicines separate & locked away  Request child-resistant packaging  Keep poisonous plants out of sight & out of reach  Test home/center for lead based paint if built before 1978

Drowning Safety Tips * Infants & Toddlers  Supervise, supervise, supervise, supervise!!!  Do not rely on bathtub seats, water wings, etc.  Empty all buckets, containers, and wading pools immediately  Keep toilet lids shut or use toilet locks  Pool alarms can offer an extra layer of protection  Children should learn to swim usually after age four

Drowning Safety Tips *School Age Children  Always supervise young children  Pay attention to open water  Do not let children dive into unknown depths  Always swim with a buddy  Always wear a coast guard approved safety device  Adults & children (13 yrs.) Should Know infant & child CPR

Falls – Safety Tips * Infants & Toddlers  Use safety gates at top & bottom of stairs  Install safety guards on windows  Keep beds, cribs, & other furniture away from windows  Make sure cribs are approved by CPSC

Falls – Safety Tips *School Age  Supervise at all times  Use age appropriate equipment  Surfacing should be kept at least 12 inches deep & extend 6 feet in all directions  Remove hood & neck drawstrings on clothing  Use appropriate safety equipment for sports programs  Cross the street at least 10 feet in front of school bus

Motor Vehicle Accident Safety Tips *Infants To Young Child  Never,never, never, put young children & infants in the front seat  All children 12 & under should ride in back seat  Infants should be in rear-facing car seats until 20 pounds & 1 year old  Children over 1 year old & between pounds can be in forward facing seat in rear of car  Children ages 4 to 8 (40 – 80 pounds) should be in a booster seat

Motor Vehicle Safety *School Age  Children over 80 pounds & 8 years old can fit a lap/shoulder belt  Do not let children put shoulder belts under arms or behind their backs  All children 12 & under should ride in back seat

Safety Tips For Burns *Infants & Toddlers  Set water heater thermostat to 120 F  Cover electrical outlets  Keep young children out of kitchen when preparing meals  Use back burners & turn pot handles toward the back of stove

Tips For Limiting Sun Exposure *All ages  Avoid peak sun intensity hours  Provide adequate shade  Keep infants & small children in shade when outdoors  Purchase portable shade structures  Include shade coverings in playground design  Wear protective clothing  Use sunscreen SPF 15 or higher

Pedestrian Summer Safety Tips *All Children  Do not allow children under 20 to cross the street alone  Wear reflective clothing at dusk, & carry flashlight  Cross at corners  Stop at curbs  Walk facing traffic on sidewalks  Prohibit play in driveways, streets, or parking lots  Teach safety rules

Bike/Helmet Summer Safety Tips  Wear a helmet (Don’t negotiate)  Children under 10 yrs old should ride on sidewalk  Ride with traffic  Use appropriate hand signals  STOP, Look left, Right,& Left Again before turning left  Do not ride when it is dark or if unavoidable  Use reflective clothing & bike lights

Summary  42% of all unintentional injury-related deaths occur form May to August.  July is the deadliest time for unintentional injuries. Twelve percent occur in this month.  There will be over 3 million visits made to the emergency room this summer between May and August.

Summary  Infants & toddlers / 1-4 years old account for the majority of injuries and deaths.  Children ages 4 & under have a drowning death rate 2 to 3 times greater than other age groups.  Nearly 65% of the children killed in alcohol- related crashes are passengers in vehicles with drunk drivers.