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Safety tips to avoid summer accidents With a little education and knowledge, most parents can help their children avoid the top safety hazards this summer, said Sally Webb, M.D., pediatrician in MUSC Children’s Hospital Emergency Department (ED).   Water- and auto-related accidents continue to be leading causes of injury and death in children.   “Boys are more likely to have water safety problems, as are African-American adolescents. Also, more than half of drownings or near-drownings in the adolescent age group are associated with alcohol or drug use,” cautioned Webb.   A little prevention goes a long way to steering clear of the ED, she said.   Below are the top safety issues and what can be done to play it safe with your children this summer. Water Never leave infants or young children unsupervised in a bathtub or even around buckets of water. “Even less than a minute is too long—that can be all it takes,” said Webb.   If you have a pool, fence all four sides at least 55 inches high to keep toddlers from scaling it, and install a gate that closes automatically. Make sure all family members have CPR training. While the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends all children learn how to swim, lessons don’t always prevent drowning. “Counsel adolescents about risky behavior when they’re unsupervised around bodies of water,” Webb emphasizes. “Remind them that if there’s alcohol or drug consumption, it increases their danger. Never drink and swim.”   Always use approved personal flotation devices for water-related activities, including fishing. All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) “Emergency department physicians have seen an explosion in the number of off-road ATV injuries in children here and across the country,” Webb said.   The AAP recommends that children who are not old enough to drive a car should not be driving an ATV. “Most injuries we treat are associated with rollovers,” noted Webb, “because these vehicles are driven by inexperienced drivers.”   Wear a helmet and insist that the teenager take a driver educational program before using an ATV.   Do not allow passengers.   Also worrisome: “These ATVs are frequently used in rural areas where delay to emergency care is significant,” Webb said. “This compounds the seriousness of injuries.” Car seats Use approved car safety seats. Once children outgrow infant seats, use a booster seat. (For information on car seat safety, see sidebar article, “What’s safest for your child in the car?”)   Follow guidelines when attaching the child seat to the car. “I’m still amazed at the number of times children in collisions are in a car seat that is not properly strapped to the car,” Webb said.   Use a booster seat until a child reaches age 7. “It’s proven that this results in a significant decrease in injuries,” noted Webb. Bicycles Insist your child wear a well-fitting helmet. “Many children coming through the ED or Intensive Care Unit  are still not wearing helmets despite educational campaigns,” Webb said. Studies show that only 20 percent of children wear helmets despite their proven effectiveness in preventing injury.   Take advantage of free helmet programs. The Coastal Cyclists Bicycle Club, along with local government groups, will sponsor a bike safety day for children in September.   Obey the rules of the road. Very young children should not ride on the street, just as they should not be allowed to cross streets until they understand how to do it safely. Heat Do not leave children unattended in a car, especially during summer months. “Every year, infants die as a result of being forgotten or intentionally left by parents who thought they would just be a few minutes,” Webb cautioned.   “The inside of a car heats up dramatically faster than the outside temperature. Infants and young children cannot tolerate these high temperatures for more than a few minutes,” she said.   Keep cars locked when they’re not in use. Inquisitive children often find their way into cars or car trunks and then can’t get out.   Drink plenty of liquids and take breaks in the shade or in air-conditioning to cool off. What’s safest for your child in the car? To best protect children from injury in car accidents, follow these guidelines: Children younger than age 1 and less than 20 pounds: use a rearward-facing, infant only or convertible child safety seat. Children 40 pounds or less, ages 1 to 4: Secure a child in a forward-facing, five-point harness system. Children more than 40 pounds, 40 to 57 inches tall: Use a belt-positioning booster system. Children 57 inches tall and above: Use a standard seatbelt/shoulder harness in the back seat. Keep your child in a backward-facing position as long as possible. Use a convertible car seat that rides backward as long as the top of the child’s head doesn’t rise above the back of the car seat. Insist children ride in the back until they are 62 inches tall. A passenger must be 57 inches tall for safe use of a lap belt/shoulder harness and 62 inches for safe use of an airbag. Not recommended but in an absolute emergency: If a child must ride without a car seat, put him in the center of the back seat and use a standard seatbelt/shoulder harness. Experts say although it will likely be mispositioned, it’s still the best option. For the most current information on safe child transportation, contact the American Academy of Pediatrics at http://www.aap.org. Editor's note: Reprinted from Children's Hospital Kids Connection newsletter at http://www.musckids.com.       Friday, July 27, 2007 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to catalyst@musc.edu. 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