How to Keep Your Kids Safe from These Common Injuries

Children can suffer an injury in an instant no matter their age or level of supervision. Many children get injured right in front of their parents, grandparents, guardians, or teachers. Unfortunate accidents happen and not all of them can be prevented. However, there are common springtime injuries to children that can be avoided.

Open flames and hot foods can cause contact burns and scalding

It’s very easy for children to suffer burn injuries, even when they are being watched by an adult. Contact burns and scalding are serious injuries that can lead to surgery if they cause enough damage to the body. In order to keep your child safe and prevent burns, be sure to do the following:

• Teach your child what items can be hot to the touch
• Never leave a child unattended near an open flame
• Do not leave lit candles unattended
• If using the stove or the oven, do not leave the kitchen
• Put all hot foods in the middle of the table
• Do not carry your child while carrying a hot drink or hot food
• Store gasoline, matches, and lighter fluid in places where children cannot get to them

Make sure your child has sunscreen on when playing outside even in the spring.

Reducing the risk of drowning and water-related injuries

Drowning is the #1 cause of death (outside of birth injuries) for children between the ages of one and four. Drowning is largely a springtime and summer accident, though a child can easily drown in a bathtub, as well. To prevent the risk of drowning or water-related injury at your home, make sure to:

• Install a protective fence around the pool on your property
• Never leave a child unattended around a body of water
• Teach your child how to swim at a young age
• Make sure there is safety equipment available if you have a pool at your home
• Empty kiddy pools and buckets of water immediately after being used

If your kid is going to a friend’s house or to a public school, make sure he or she knows the rules of the pool, and how to signal for help when needed.

Is your car safe for your kids?

Even if the air feels cool in the spring, the sun can heat the interior of a vehicle quickly to the point where it can become too hot to remain inside with the windows closed. You should never leave your child in a vehicle unattended at any point; in fact, it is against the law in Illinois to leave a child under the age of six (6) unattended in a car for 10 minutes or more.

Other vehicle safety tips include:

• Children should ride in an approved child or booster seat at all times
• Seat belts should always be worn
• Call 911 if you see a child left unattended in a vehicle
• Teach your children that the vehicle is not a play place
• Look in the backseat before you lock the car

As for the child safety seat laws for Illinois, here’s what you need to know:

• Newborn-2 years: rear-facing car seat
• 2-4 years: rear-facing car seat until the child outgrows the weight and height limits, at which time the child can be switched to a forward-facing child seat
• 4-8 years: forward-facing child seat that has a harness
• 8-12 years: a booster seat that uses the vehicle’s seat belt

Falls are dangers for kids of all ages

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the leading cause of nonfatal injuries to children up to the age of 15 is falling. Of course, the younger your child, the more likely they are to fall and suffer an injury. Toddlers just learning how to stand and walk will fall often as they figure out how to use their feet. Remove obstacles in your home, install protective guards on furniture, fireplaces, and the stairs to prevent serious injuries if your child falls.

Sports injuries can have long-term effects and repercussions

The spring season brings about new sports for your child to try. From baseball to softball to track to roller hockey to lacrosse – there are plenty of options for your children. However, injuries are quite common for children of all ages in these sports. Children can suffer sprains, broken bones, dislocated bones, muscle tears, sore elbows, and much more. Be sure your child knows how to stretch properly before playing a game or practicing to limit the risk of injury.

Kids get hurt a lot; we want you to know the risks so that you can take steps to reduce the harms they face. If yours child’s injury was the result of someone’s negligence, however, then it’s time for you to consult with an experienced Chicago personal injury attorney at Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers Call our office at 312-600-9585 or complete a contact form online to schedule a consultation today.