When it comes to our children's safety, there is nothing
we as parent would not do to keep our children safe. Unfortunately danger is lurking around every
corner, and in a fleeting second your blissful life can come to a screaming halt.
The most important
tool for parents is awareness. Know how to protect your child and reduce your child's risk of danger.
We have added some information and links to better inform you about children's safety.
Know
that some accidents may happen in your child's life, by no fault of anyone, but are you prepared for
them?
How you react in those first few moments, can effect your child and your whole families
life.
In this country, more children die from preventable accidents than from any single disease. Each year,
8,000 children are killed, and 50,000 more are permanently disabled. Yearly, one in four children under
the age of 15 requires medical attention due to accidents, fires, burns, drowning, falls, poisoning,
and choking.
Motor vehicle crashes remain the leading cause of unintentional injury-related
death among children ages 14 and under, despite a seven percent decline in the motor vehicle occupant
death rate from 1987 to 1996. During the same time period, the motor vehicle occupant nonfatal injury
rate among children has increased by four percent.
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission there were
more than 21,000 backpack-related injuries treated at hospital emergency rooms, doctors' offices, and
clinics in the year 2003. Injuries ranged from contusions, to sprains and strains to the back and shoulder,
and fractures
Bicycles remain associated with more childhood injuries than
any other consumer product except the automobile. More than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 (27.7
million) ride bicycles. This age group rides about 50 percent more than the average bicyclist and accounts
for approximately 30 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and more than 60 percent of all bicycle-related
injuries.
Fires and burns remain the third-leading cause of unintentional injury-related
death among children ages 14 and under. Children, especially those ages 5 and under, are at the greatest
risk from home fire-related death and injury.
Did you know that more than 2,800 people die each year as a result of choking?
Airway obstruction injury (suffocation, choking, strangulation) is the leading cause of unintentional
injury-related death among children under age 1.
Falls remain the leading cause of unintentional injury for children.
Children ages 14 and under account for one-third of all fall-related visits to hospital emergency rooms.
More than half of all nonfatal injuries to children are associated with falls, and falls are the leading
cause of nursery product-related injuries among children ages 5 and under. The majority of falls occur
from furniture, stairs, baby walkers, playground equipment, windows and shopping carts.
Drowning remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death in this age group
and the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 1 to 4. The majority
of drownings and near-drownings occur in residential swimming pools. However, children can drown in as
little as one inch of water and are therefore at risk of drowning in wading pools, bathtubs, buckets,
diaper pails, toilets, spas and hot tub
Ophthalmologists
(medical eye physicians) regularly see young people and recreational athletes with eye injuries caused
by sports. Ninety percent of these eye injuries are preventable with proper eye safety protection
Each year, U.S. fire departments respond to more than 400,000 residential
fires, or one every 71 seconds. These fires account for nearly 22 percent of all reported fire incidents,
yet cause 80 percent of all fire-related deaths and nearly 75 percent of all injuries.
Approximately 55 percent of the fireworks-related injuries were burns, and most
of the burns involved the hands, eyes and head. Nearly 40 percent of the victims were under 15 years
of age.
Unintentional injury remains the leading cause of death among children ages 14 and under in the United
States. In 1996, nearly 6,300 children ages 14 and under died from unintentional injuries. In addition,
each year nearly 120,000 children are permanently disabled. One out of every four children, or more than
14 million children ages 14 and under, sustains injuries that are serious enough to require medical attention
each year.
Early prevention goes along way. Mechanical
suffocation and suffocation by ingested objects cause the most home fatalities to children 0-4 years
of age. Drownings and home fires also contribute to the death of young children.
Pedestrian
injury remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to
14, claiming the lives of 599 children in 2003 alone. In 2004, more than 38,400 children were treated
in emergency rooms for pedestrian-related injuries.
The leading
cause of playground equipment-related fatalities is strangulation and the majority of these deaths occur
on home playgrounds Each year, nearly 20 children ages 14 and under die from playground equipment-related
injuries. In 1997, an estimated 211,000 children ages 14 and under were treated in hospital emergency
rooms for playground equipment-related injuries. Children ages 5 to 14 accounted for more than 70 percent
of these injuries.
Poisoning often occurs in the home. Care
should be taken to store poisons carefully. Keep them out of reach of children Each year more than
6,000 people die and an estimated 300,000 suffer disabling illnesses as a result of unintentional poisoning
by solid and liquid substances. Unintentional poisonings can happen to anyone, at any time, in any situation.
For some 22 million students nationwide, the school
day begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. Unfortunately, each year many children are injured and
several are killed in school bus incidents.
Last year,
over 40,000 people were taken to hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. because of injuries from riding
scooters. Most of the injuries were to kids under 15.
About
20 million inline skaters hit the streets each year. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission,
as many as two-thirds of inline skaters do not wear safety gear. The Consumer Product Safety Commission
estimates approximately 11,000 inline skaters suffer from head or face injuries annually.
Each year, an average of 21,600 children ages 5 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms
for injuries associated with shopping carts. Each year, on average, falls from shopping carts account
for 60 percent (or 12,800 injuries) of all shopping cart-related injuries among children ages 5 and under.
Five percent of children injured from falls from shopping cart seats require hospitalization.
With one in five Americans developing skin cancer, childhood education about sun
safety is a vital step toward reducing risk and improving public health.
In 1996, 3 billion toys and games were sold in the United States. Although meant to provide joy and
entertainment, toys are linked to all too many injuries. Children ages 4 and under are at especially
high risk.
Vaccines, immunizations or
inoculations are recommended for every child born in the United States. A vaccination shouldn't hurt
a child but sometimes they do. Before your child takes the risk, find out what it is.
More than 100 million Americans participate in water-related activities each year.
To reduce the risk of drowning and other injuries, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
recommends careful adult supervision at all times, especially when children are near water sources such
as bathtubs, buckets, toilets, large puddles, and swimming pools. Small children can drown in as little
as 1 inch of liquid, and in only 30 seconds.
Diseases that can be passed from animals to humans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that about 10,000 Children will be infected with
worms in a year and possibly 700 of them may lose vision.
Do you know Cpr?
If you have not taken a Cpr/First Aid class now is the time to do
so. Be Prepared!
Seven Warning Signs For A Possible Abduction Of Your Child.
1. Nasty family disputes. Most
child abductions are caused by problems between loved ones. If you are in a family dispute take extra
care to watch your child at all times.
2. A stranger calling your child over to their car or vehicle
to ask them a question or show them something.
3. A stranger asking your child to help them find
a lost animal such as a cat or dog.
4. A stranger offering your child money, candy, food or
gifts of any kind.
5. A stranger attempting to make friends with your child.
6. Someone
watching or observing your child "longer" than they should be.
7. A stranger attempting to create
a situation where they are alone with your child. These Are Only Guidelines
Safety Tips Every Parent And Child Should Know!
1: I know my full name (first, middle
and last) and complete address including city, state and zip code.
2: I know my phone number
including area code and how to dial "911" and "0" for emergencies. I know that I can use any phone to
call "911" and "0" without using any money.
3: I know my family "Secret Code Word" and know not
to go with anyone, for any reason, who does not use the "Secret Code Word."
4: I know
not to put my name on any clothing, jewelry, hats, caps, jackets, tee shirts, bikes, etc., where people
can see it.
5: I know not to play in isolated areas or take short-cuts through dangerous or deserted
areas such as creeks or vacant lots.
6: I know to always walk and play in groups. I always practice
the "Buddy System" and that there is safety in numbers.
7: I know not to go door-to-door selling
something without an adult with me.
8: I know to always let my parents or child care person
know where I am going.
9: I know to walk on the left facing traffic so that I can see if
a car stops near me.
10: I know to keep all doors and windows locked when I am home alone.
11: If I am home along and someone knocks on the door, I know to ask, "Who is it?" without unlocking
or opening any door or window. If it is not someone I am expecting, I know to say, "My mom/dad is busy
and can't come to the door right now." I know to talk through the door and ask the person to come back
later. If the person refuses to leave, I know to call the police. I know to never let the person inside
for any reason.
12: If I arrive home and see that any window or door is open or and call "911"
or "0" for Operator.
13: If I am home along and the phone rings, I know to never let a stranger
know I'm home alone. I know to say, "My mother/father can't come to the phone right now."
14:
I know that it is okay to hang up the telephone if I don't like what I hear, such as strange noises,
scary talk or nothing at all.
15: I know that there are emergency numbers to call if I'm home
along and get scared, including how to telephone my parents and neighbors.
16:I know that
a stranger is anyone (man or woman) who is not known by me.
17: I know not to go with strangers
and to run away from them when approached.
18: I know to never accept candy, food, money or anything
from a stranger.
19: If someone I know, a friend or a neighbor, asks me to come into his/her
house or go somewhere with them, I know to ask my mom/dad first.
20: I know never to approach
a car with strangers. If a stranger says something to me, I know not to go near the car to answer or
to have them repeat the question.
21: I know never to help a stranger with directions, fix their
car, find their lost pet or let a stranger take my picture. .
22: If a stranger is following
me, instead of hiding in bushes or behind a building, I know to go to a place where there are people
and ask for help.
23: I know to keep at least two arms lengths away from a stranger when walking.
24: I know never to go with a person who says they are a police officer if they are not in
uniform and have a police car, I know not to go with a stranger, even if they show a badge. I know to
tell my mom/dad all strange and/or unusual events.
25: I know never to accept a ride from a stranger.
26: I know, that even thought I may see and recognize certain people (like the mailman, ice cream
truck driver, newspaper person, etc.), these people are considered strangers to me and I should never
go with them without permission from my mom/dad.
27: I know the difference between a "good
touch" and a "bad touch" and that certain areas of my body are very private. I know to report any "bad
touches" to mom, dad, a trusted adult and the police.
28: I have the right not to be touched
in ways that make me feel uncomfortable, the right to say "NO" and the right to get help.
29:
I know that if an adult tells me to keep a secret, I know that it is okay to tell mom, dad or a trusted
adult.
30: I know to call home when I get to my friend's house, shopping, etc., and
to call when I am on my way home and to always come home before dark.
31: I know that if I get
lost in a store or shopping mall, I will go to a cashier or security person.
32: I know never
to go alone to movie theaters, arcade game stores, public rest rooms, parks, swimming pools or school
yards (after school hours).
33: I know that running away from home is no fun. When I am
having problems, I know that I can talk to my family or a trusted adult.
34: Teach your child
they do not always have to be polite to adults. If they sense danger, make a scene and yell for HELP!.
This is not my mom/dad and run away. Instruct your child to refuse a stranger's request for help.
SAY NO! RUN AWAY WHILE SCREAMING HELP! TELL A TRUSTED ADULT! These safety tips
are borrowed from. Child Quest Safety
