Reduce School-Related Injuries with Simple Precautions and Safer Habits
School-related activities account for about 2.2 million injuries each year in children under the age of 14. A few simple precautions and safer habits can help reduce kids’ increased risk for injury as they return to school this year.
(PRWEB) July 29, 2005 -- Amid the rush to stock up on fresh school supplies
and fall’s hottest styles, back-to-school safety concerns can be easily
overlooked. But parents may be surprised to know that the annual return to
school marks an increase in reported injuries to school-aged children. Now is
the ideal time to review safety risks and start the year off with safer habits
in place.
“Most parents aren’t aware that school-related activities
account for about 2.2 million injuries each year in children under the age of
14,” says Krista Fabregas, founder of KidSmartLiving.com. “Fortunately, many of
these are preventable.”
She offers a look at how these injuries occur
and the precautions both parents and kids can take.
“Playgrounds account
for the majority of school-related injuries, with falls from equipment making up
more than half of these,” says Fabregas. “Parents should ensure that equipment
is well maintained and surrounded by adequate playground surfacing – at least 12
inches of wood chips, mulch or other approved loose-fill safety surface is
recommended.”
Playground spills will happen, but safer surfacing can make
a nasty fall less dangerous – and less painful!
Kids’ risk of injury due
to traffic, bicycles and school buses also increases during the school year, and
the results can be serious – even tragic. Review traffic safety rules with
walkers, car riders and bicycle riders to help instill safer to-and-from school
habits and minimize these dangers.
“Bicycle riders should always wear a
helmet. Buy a ‘cool’ one if necessary – it’s sure cheaper than brain surgery,”
says Fabregas. “And be certain riders know and follow bicycle rules of the
road.”
Parents of bus riders naturally have concerns about safety to and
from school – though surprisingly, most children seriously injured in
bus-related accidents are not passengers. Children are actually three times more
likely to be seriously injured when boarding, exiting or walking around a
bus.
“Parents need to remind kids that the bus driver cannot see them
when they are within 10 feet of the bus – that’s the driver’s blind spot,” says
Fabregas. “When crossing the street or playing close to the bus, children are at
risk of serious injury.”
Bus riders should try to arrive at the bus stop
early and always follow the driver’s safety rules on and off the bus. Safer
bus-stop habits such as waiting for the bus to stop completely before
approaching, walking several steps from the bus upon exiting, and waiting for
the bus to leave before crossing the street can also help kids avoid
danger.
Possibly the most effective preventative measure against traffic
injuries is being organized and on time.
“When families rush to arrive
at the last minute, safety rules and caution can be overlooked,” says Fabregas.
“Kids dash across the street and drivers roll through stop signs – that’s just
how accidents happen.”
It’s a challenge, but adding 15 minutes to your
morning routine can dramatically decrease the risks to your family… and to
others.
Another unexpected – but notable – danger to kids involves
drawstring garments and accessories like backpacks. Drawstrings and backpack
straps that become caught in bus or car doors can quickly cause injury due to
strangulation or dragging. This accounts for numerous injuries each year and has
even been the cause of several deaths.
Fabregas cautions parents to
remove drawstrings from garments and, once adjusted to size, cut dangling
backpack straps to minimize the danger.
Organized sports are another
contributor to the tally of school-related injuries, but these don’t have to be
“just part of the game.” Parents should be fully aware of all risks and make
sure kids are properly conditioned, prepared for the physical demands of the
sport, and that the proper safety equipment is always used.
Parents
should also ensure that the school’s sports program is fully prepared to treat
emergencies during both practice and competition.
Kids will always be
kids, and accidental scrapes, bumps, and falls are just a few of the things
parents expect. But a little extra effort on the side of caution can be the
difference between a simple band-aid fix and a dozen stitches – or
worse!
Fabregas recommends the following websites to parents interested
in learning more about school-related injuries and preventative measures:
www.safekids.com
www.cpsc.gov
www.familyeducation.com
Krista Fabregas founded www.kidsmartliving.com in
1999 to provide parents with excellent resources, ideas and products that help
create stylish, safe family homes and worry-free lifestyles.
For
interviews, media kit or further information, contact Deann Reed at
832-476-5482.
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/7/prweb266982.htm