Tips for Keeping Kids Safe Once School Gets Out for the Summer
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Those lazy, crazy, hazy days of summer will soon be here, giving kids opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. Unfortunately, playing in the heat and water sometimes results in injuries and tragedies.
Be mindful of potential dehydration. Summer heat can cause serious problems in children, who are less able to regulate internal temperature than adults are. Get your kids to drink more fluids (water, not sugary junk) when the temperatures are high. They shouldn’t wait until they feel thirsty to drink.
Make sure a lifeguard or responsible adult supervises your kids when you are at a pool or swimming area. Children should wear a life jacket when boating. Formal swimming lessons can be a powerful investment, because research suggests that they can reduce the likelihood of drowning in young children. For more water safety information, see Basic Pool and Water Safety: Keeping Children Safe.
Monitor sports activities to prevent injuries. Kids should wear a helmet when engaging in any sport that could involve a blow to the head. Other activities, such as line skating, necessitate the use of knee and elbow pads as well as wrist guards.
Watch vigilantly to minimize dangerous falls on the playground. Surfaces under playground equipment should be soft and of an appropriate depth. Sand provides a better surface than dirt.
To promote safety in the home, supervise young children on the stairs. The use of stair gates and guards on windows can prevent concussion-inducing tumbles.
Make sure your teenagers take safe summer jobs and train vigorously to stay safe wherever they work. Teens should get appropriate safety training, and their duties should fit their mental maturity and judgment.
Get in touch with our Washington D.C. personal injury attorneys to determine if you can obtain compensation for your or your child’s recent injury.