Child Injury Prevention

Each year, one in every four children receives medical treatment because of an injury such as a fall from a bicycle or an animal bite. While most injuries are minor, many of them are very serious. In fact, every year injuries disable more children than kidnapping, drugs and disease combined.

PEDIATRIC INJURY PREVENTION TIPS

While you can't prevent your children from every bump or bruise, you can learn to reduce the chances they'll be seriously injured by taking safety precautions such as always using a seat belt and wearing a bicycle helmet.

"The key to pediatric injury prevention is matching a child's development, supervision and tasks with his or her developmental capabilities. With each new stage of physical, cognitive and social development, new injury hazards emerge." - National Safe Kids

Pool Safety

Join us in support of the World's Largest Swimming Lesson! June 18, 2013 at 11 am.

In an effort to encourage swimming lessons as one of the seven layers of pool safety, many sites in our area will be hosting a free swimming lesson. No experience is necessary and participants will receive a goodie bag and a certificate for participation. The event is conducted worldwide and will be included in the Guinness book of world records. You are welcome to pre register or show up that day. You must be present and registered by 10:45 am to officially participate.

Local locations include:

Marion Diehl Pool – Tyvola Rd,
Harris YMCA- Quail Hollow Rd
Simmons YMCA- Confederate Drive
Charlotte Aquatics Center – Little Avenue

Exact details can be found at www.wlsl.org and more information on the layers of pool safety can be found in the Pool Safety Section.

Bike Safety

With the warmer weather, children ride bikes around the neighborhood more often. In an effort to reward families for thinking safely, local safety advocates and law enforcement agencies are handing out reward packets for those kids spotted wearing a helmet. Remember: the helmet worn correctly is the only way to minimize the risk of head injury or death in the event of a fall or crash. So wear your helmet and you can be spotted cycling safely.

More Bike and Wheel Child Injury Prevention Tips

Sports Safety

Kids are naturally active. They enjoy organized sports, individual sports, and even just "backyard" sports. While "injuries" are considered a normal part of activity, they can be prevented; and when they do occur, proper care can reduce the likelihood of another injury occurring in the future. Injury free sports can not only increase the enjoyment a child receives from participation but ensure their lifelong love of activity.

The four P's to consider when considering sports safety are:

Prevention of sports injuries acute and overuse injuries
Proper Hydration
Pre Season medical screening
Prevention and care of concussions

For more information on these areas of prevention download our "Get in the Game Handout"

Play Safe - Play Away from the Road

Children are also out playing more in the spring, and small children are most likely to be struck near a driveway or road near their home. Learn more with these play-safe pediatric injury prevention tips.

To learn more on when you child can bike and walk alone view our the article from My School Rocks

Drive Safely

As part of the Governors Highway Safety Program to promote seat belt usage during the high summer travel months, we've provided this downloadable travel-safe child injury prevention tips.