KEEP KIDS SAFE THIS SUMMER

• Motor Vehicle
  • Buckle-up children in child safety seats or safety belts when they are riding in motor vehicles.
  • Youngsters riding adult ATVs
    • Should take a hands-on rider training course by a certified instructor
    • Always wear a helmet and other protective equipment
    • Do not carry passengers
    • Do not ride on paved roads
  • Keep children away from iding mowers and garden tractors
    • Never take a child for a ride on a garden tractor or a riding mower
    • Keep children closely supervised at all times when any outdoor power equipment is being used. Young children move quickly and are attracted to mowers and mowing activity, especially if they have been given rides before.
    • Never assume children will remain where you last saw them. Be alert and turn the mower off if children enter the area. Use extra care when backing up or when approaching corners, shrubs, and trees.
    • Never allow a child to operate a riding mower or tractor, even if the child is supervised.
    • Clear the mowing area of objects such as rocks, toys, wire, etc. which could be picked up and thrown by the blade.

 



 

• Bike Safety
  • Make sure you and your children wear bike helmets every time they ride:
    • Choose a helmet that meets both the ANSI and SNELL standards
    • Choose a helmet that fits properly
    • Always have an adult test the fit on the child's head before you buy the helmet
    • Choose a helmet which covers the top of the child's forehead, but does not slide back on the head when worn
    • Let your children choose their helmet. Many helmet colors and designs that appeal to children are available
    • Choose a helmet that can buckle and unbuckle easily
    • Adjust the pads and straps to make sure the helmet fits comfortably
    • Parents should make sure children wear helmets from an early age when riding a tricycle or their first bicycle or when a baby rides as a passenger on the parents' bike
    • Make your child's bike riding contingent upon wearing a helmet
    • Parents should make a pact with neighborhood parents that all kids wear helmets
    • Parents should set an example by wearing a helmet when they cycle
    • Parents should compliment their children when they wear helmets.

   

  

   

• Bike Safety on the Roads
  • Obey all traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings
  • Ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic
  • See and be seen by wearing bright colors or reflective stripes
  • Look behind you and in front of you for traffic before attempting to turn
  • Always use proper hand signals to let vehicles know you are turning or stopping
  • Riders should stay alert keeping a look out for obstacles in their path
  • Put a horn or bell on the bike
  • Equip the bike with a red rear reflector on the front and back or each pedal and white, yellow or red side reflectors on each wheel
  • Check the brakes to make certain they are in good working condition

 



 

• Fire and Burns
  • Install smoke detectors, test them once a month and replace the batteries at least once a year
  • Practice two escape routes from your home with your family
  • Keep matches and lighters out of children's reach

 



 

• Water Safety
• Set your water heater's thermostat at the low setting or at 120o F
• Test the water before you put your child in the tub
• Keep all hot foods and liquids out of children's reach
• Never leave your children alone in the bathtub
• Watch your children by the pool, hot tub, beach or lake
• Install a four-sided fence surrounding your home' swimming pool
• Do not drink and dive and never dive into the shallow end of a pool, into an above ground pool or into shallow areas of other bodies of water
• Do not use flotation devices as a substitute for direct supervision
• Never let older children swim alone, they should swim with a buddy
• Never let children swim in unsupervised areas such as ponds, lakes or rivers.
• Don't dive into unknown bodies of water
• Dive feet first the first time and always steer up immediately after diving into the water
• Children over three years old should take swimming lessons
• Learn how to administer emergency fist aid including CPR
• Keep a telephone at pool side with emergency phone numbers
• Swim only in clear weather and get out of the pool and head for cover in the event of a storm

 



 

• Summer Heat
  • Drink plenty of water, don't wait until you are thirsty because your body may already be dangerously low on water
  • Slow down and reduce strenuous activities during the heat of the day
  • Keep cool by spending as much time as possible in colder environments. Cooling with fans increases air circulation and helps to remove extra body heat
  • Air conditioning can provide relief from heat-related illnesses, especially for infants and young children
  • Wear loose and light colored clothing during hot, sunny days and avoid the intense sunlight
  • Give infants sponge baths often and give cool baths and showers to young children to cool the body
  • Avoid hot foods and heavy meals and cook in the cooler part of the day
  • Use an appropriate sun block for your type of skin and the duration of exposure

 



 

• Playground Safety
  • Make sure the surface under the playground equipment is a safe impact-absorbing surface
  • Make sure equipment is safe and well-maintained

 



 

• Summer Sports
  • Baseball
    • Using baseballs such as the reduced injury factor (RIF) baseball is recommended for youth baseball
    • Batting helmets are not adequate to prevent severe eye injuries or broken jaws. Clear plastic face guards are recommended to protect a youngster's eyes, nose and mouth
    • Parents should make sure that community coaches teach kids how to avoid injuries by teaching them how to slide correctly into a base

   

  

   

  • Skateboards
    • All skateboarders should wear protective helmets, knee and elbow pads. Wrist braces and special skateboarding gloves can help absorb the impact of a fall
    • Skateboarders should know the area where they will be riding by checking the area for holes, bumps, rocks and any debris before they ride
    • Riders should check their skateboards for safety hazards such as broken or cracked parts, sharp edges on metal boards, slippery toe surfaces or wheels with nicks and cracks
    • Skateboarders should not ride in the street
    • Skateboarders should never hitch a ride from a car or a bicycle

   

  

   

  • In-line Roller Skating
    • Protective helmets, knee, wrist and elbow pads should be standard equipment for kids skating
    • Skate on smooth, paved surfaces without any traffic.
    • Avoid skating on streets, driveways, or surfaces with water, sand, gravel, or dirt
    • Learn to stop safely using the brake pads at the heel of most in-line roller skates.
    • Do not skate at night because of your difficulty in being seen and the skater seeing obstacles in their path

 



 

• Poisoning
  • Store poisonous cleaners, medicines and other products out of children's reach
  • Buy medications in child-resistant packages
  • Keep plants out of reach and learn which ones in and around your home are poisonous

 



 

• Choking
• Give young children foods in small, bite-size pieces that are easy to swallow. Avoid giving children under 5 hot dogs, nuts, raisins, hard candies, raw carrots, grapes, popcorn, gum and chunk-size pieces of meat
• Keep small toys and objects out of reach of young children
• Learn how to do the Heimlich maneuver in case of choking

 



 

• Stings and Bites
• Stings - Flying Insects
  • Remove any remaining portion of the stinger by gently scraping the surface of the skin. Do not squeeze the skin or grasp the stinger as this may cause the venom to further spread through the area
  • Wash the area with mild soap and water
  • Apply a cold compress (no longer than an hour at a time) to keep swelling at a minimum. After 24-48 hours when the swelling has subsided, switch to moist hot packs if the sting is still painful.
  • It may be helpful to use an oral or topical antihistamine product to relieve local irritation and itching from the sting. Non-prescription, non-aspirin pain relievers may also be given for the pain.
  • IF A STING VICTIM EXPERIENCES DIFFICULTY IN BREATHING, SCHOK, OR LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS GET HIM OR HER TO A MEDICAL TREATMENT FACILITY IMMEDIATELY.

 



 

• Bites
• Initially carefully rise the area and then wash it with soap
• Elevate and apply pressure and a clean bandage to the area to stop the bleeding
• Call your family physician to further evaluate whether the child needs to be seen. If the wound is deep, stitches and professional medical attention may be necessary.

 



 

• Ticks
  • To remove the tick:
    • Grasp tick near mouthparts and lift gently upward and forward
    • Pull gently and slowly until the tick is free of the skin
    • Disinfect site of bit immediately
    • DO NOT SQUEEZE THE BODY OF THE TICK
    • DO NOT BREAK OFF MOUTHPARTS
    • DO NOT RUB SITE OF BIT PRIOR TO COMPLETELY DISINFECTING IT

 



 

• Poison Ivy
  • Remove contaminated clothing as soon as possible and wash the affected area with soap and water for at least five minutes
  • Apply rubbing alcohol
  • If rash appears, apply calamine lotion or some other soothing salve
  • If the rash is severe or in a sensitive area or if the child has been sensitive to these plants in the past SEEK MEDICAL HELP
  • Make sure you wash the clothes and any area the child touched or sat on (including bedding) with bleach and hot water

Back to Top