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Monday, March 18, 2024
March 18, 2024

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Energy Adviser: Help kids avoid trauma in summer

The Columbian
Published:

For children, summer is freedom. They are free from school schedules, and looking forward to vacation, hanging with friends, picnics and barbeques. It’s also a dangerous season that kids, tweens and teens often fail to recognize. Summer time can be trauma time.

Burns, drownings, car accidents, falls and poisoning, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are the chief causes of unintended injuries and deaths for children from infancy to 19. The emotional cost of a serious injury or death to a family is obvious.

Poisoning is perhaps the easiest injury to avoid — lock all poisons up. Install childproof latches on all inside cabinets that hold anything dangerous. Active children frequently show poor judgment, and they are born experimenters. If something is left out, they’ll find it.

You can prevent many falls at home by installing barriers. Shields for windows above ground level, and gates for stairs and guardrails for patios and decks can stop quick-moving, active children from taking a terrible tumble.

At the playground, explain to children that monkey bars, swings and slides are fun, but potentially risky. Children don’t judge distances properly. Falling can mean dislocations, concussions, broken bones or internal injuries. An observant adult hanging around often keeps kids in check.

Also, kids don’t predict dangerous situations. Teens often push the limits of their surroundings and play equipment. Sometimes they misuse equipment intentionally. Parents and grandparents should instruct children about such dangers; teach them the proper use of equipment, set safety expectations and be sure to enforce playtime rules.

The trees in your yard can be riskier than playground equipment, because they can hide high-voltage wires. Tell kids that any trees near electrical wires in your neighborhood are off limits for climbing. Grabbing a wire might be fatal to a youngster. Also, caution kids about playing on the green electrical boxes in neighborhood for the same reason.

Drowning is the top cause of children’s deaths. Before your children play around water, set some rules. Say they must wear sunscreen to prevent burning, and move slowly around pool surfaces. If they are at a public pool, tell them they must obey the lifeguard. If they’re around a large body of water, insist they stay close and off floating rafts that might carry them far from shore. Then watch them closely to ensure they follow these rules.

Car seats and safety belts are the best ways to reduce the chance of an injury in a vehicle wreck. Also, protect children from accidental injury by keeping heavy toys in the car trunk that otherwise might injure them during a crash or a sudden stop.

Cooking grills and fireworks can be dangerous to children playing near them. Caution your children to keep away from hot items to avoid blistering burns.

Ultimately, keeping children safe demands engagement by parents, grandparents and other adults. Be vigilant, aware, and talk about safety. Whether your children play at home, at a friend’s house or on vacation, steer them away from risky behaviors that might result in injury. It’s up to those closest to children to point out unsafe situations.

Adults need to be alert. When watching kids, pack away the smartphone and pay attention. That’s the best way to avoid summer traumas.

Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.

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