Preventing Common Pediatric Injuries
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento pediatric injury lawyer. Parents want to keep their infant and adolescent children safe. Emergency room visits are scary and no parent wishes their child to experience pain. That is why it is important to identify common pediatric injuries and know how to prevent them. Accidents are among the most common reasons for injuries that are preventable in children. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among children and adolescents. Millions of kids end up in an emergency room due to a pediatric trauma injury that was potentially preventable. Because these injuries are predictable, there are steps you can take towards prevention.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are the most common type of injury in children ages 5 to 19 – many of these accidents are serious. The best measures you can take to keep your children safe is to drive safely and follow traffic laws, use appropriate child safety seat for your children’s age and weight, and always wear a seatbelt.
Watch Youtube Video – Before the Injury – Preventing Trauma – Pediatric Trauma:
In the video below you will learn about various programs that have been implemented around the country that help parents keep their kids safe. Check your local children’s hospital and fire department for information on obtaining similar services in your community.
Slip and Falls
Falls are the most common non-vehicular injury in children and adolescents. Of those, most often children fall from furniture or are dropped. Other common types of falls are from stairs, a car seat or walker. This type of injury can result in a head injury, bone fractures or a dislocation. Encourage children to walk safely and teach them to make good choices during play. Remove wheels from walkers or use a stationary option. Also use safety gates and properly secure children in seats.
Suffocation
Suffocation is a concern for babies and toddlers. Infants are at risk of suffocation while sleeping and toddlers could choke on small parts. Avoid keeping pillows, blankets or stuffed animals in the baby’s crib, and place your child on their back to sleep. There are also monitors that can alert parents if an infant stops breathing. For toddlers, make sure to cut food into small pieces, and pay attention to toys that have small parts to avoid the risk of choking.
Ingestion
Children are at risk of poisoning from household chemicals. Keep chemicals, cleaners and medicines, or other potentially poisonous liquids out of the reach of toddlers, children and adolescents. Make sure you lock cabinets containing cleaners, medicines or other chemicals. If your child ingests a chemical, contact poison control at (800) 222-1222 or go to your nearest emergency room as soon as possible.
Burn Injuries
Each day more than 300 children are treated in emergency rooms for burn injuries in the United States. Most often these burns are the result of hot liquids or steam, but children are also at risk for burns from stoves or even fires. It is vital that you teach your children fire safety. You should also test hot liquids before serving it to your child, and test bath water before placing your child in the water.
Preventing Common Pediatric Injuries
Take care to pay attention to children in your care to prevent traumatic injuries from happening. If your child is injured make sure you seek appropriate treatment promptly.
Sacramento Pediatric Injury Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Pediatric Injury Lawyer. If your child has suffered injury due to another person’s negligent or careless actions, please give me a call at (916) 921-6400 for free, friendly advice. I can be reached toll-free at (800) 404-5400 if you are located outside the Sacramento region.
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