Nurse's Notes
2002 View
SUMMER’S HERE! WHAT TO FEAR?
Summer’s has arrived with all its glories. Here in our desert life
slows down, the kids are out of school, the snowbirds have gone home
and the long, lazy days seem meant for fun and relaxation.
However (and isn’t there always a however?), summer is also a
critical time in childhood because that it when the most childhood
injuries occur. Some of you may remember that my professional career
was mostly spent as an emergency nurse, specializing in pediatric
emergencies. My professional organization, the Emergency Nurses
Association (ENA) spends a lot of time and effort attempting to
prevent injuries, especially those that result in visits to
Emergency Departments. We try very hard to educate parents,
grandparents and other caregivers in ways to protect the children in
their care.
Currently in California, unintentional injury is the leading cause
of death in children under ten years of age. Of these fatal
injuries, motor vehicle accidents (not including pedestrian
accidents) are the leading cause, and drowning is second, accounting
for fully one-fourth of all deaths. In Southern California drowning
usually takes first place. Almost never is this drowning ocean
related. Our drownings almost always occur in swimming pools.
Locally just recently a two year old child died in the family
swimming pool while her parents were putting away groceries after a
trip to the store.
Childhood restraint systems in automobiles have been required by law
in our state for several years—young children need to be restrained
in a proper car seat and everyone else, adults also, need to be
belted. Yet every day when I am driving I see children unrestrained
in vehicles. What many folks do not realize is that you do not need
to be in an accident to have an unrestrained child seriously injured
or killed in a moving vehicle. These are called “non-crash”
events—Mom or Dad slams on the brakes to avoid hitting something and
the unrestrained child becomes a projectile, hitting the dash or
flying into the windshield.
Fires are the third largest cause of childhood deaths in this state.
Many times these fires are caused by children playing with matches
or other flammable stuff. Kids are fascinated by fire and don’t
realize how quickly things get out of hand.
The types of things I have mentioned are unintentional injuries, not
inflicted by others. They are PREVENTABLE. Swimming pools need to be
gated and locked and children need to be supervised constantly when
they are around a pool. Kids need to be restrained when riding in
cars (and so do adults!). Matches and lighters and fluid used to
start barbecues should be out of sight and out of reach. All the
vitamins, immunizations, nutritious food and excellent schooling in
the world do no good if a child is not being protected by his
caregivers.
Let’s all have a safe and healthy summer!
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