Geisinger experts: Summer months bring added safety risks for children

June 8, 2009, DANVILLE – Studies show that one out of four children is hurt seriously enough to require medical attention each year, and Geisinger experts say that the majority of these injuries occur during the warm weather months.

More than 250 children are treated each year in the pediatric trauma center at the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, according to pediatric trauma coordinator Carol A. Hanson, MSN, RN, CCRN. About 55 percent of these injuries occur during the summer.

Statistics from the non-profit group Safe Kids World Wide show that, nationally, deaths and injuries also peak in the summer for children.

“With vacations and time away from work and school, summer is an exciting time of year for many of us,” Hanson said. “Yet summer is also known as ‘trauma season’ in the medical community because unintentional deaths and serious injuries increase dramatically among children.”

Motor vehicle accidents account for about 32 percent of injuries sustained by GMC pediatric patient and falls are responsible for another 28 percent of injuries, according to Hanson. In addition, many children are injured when a motor vehicle strikes them while riding their bicycles or walking.

Sadly, many of these injuries can be prevented, according to Hanson and Geisinger’s director of critical care, David McKinley, M.D.

“Safety starts with a child’s parents,” Dr. McKinley said. “Parents should emphasize the importance of seatbelt and helmet use, being cautious when children ride their bicycles and how to recognize dangerous situations.”

Hanson and Dr. McKinley also recommend that parents:

• Enforce wearing helmets on any wheeled play item such as a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, dirt bike or all-terrain vehicle (ATV)
• Instruct children to avoid using these vehicles near traffic;
• Make sure children participate in appropriate safety courses for activities such as ATV riding and hunting;
• Provide sunscreen to children and ensure they are properly hydrated;
• For swimming, install a fence at least 4-feet high around all sides of the pool, never leave children alone in or near the pool, and keep safety equipment (such as a shepherd’s hook and life preservers) and a portable telephone near the pool; parents also should discourage children from swimming in unmarked or unsupervised ponds, creeks and rivers.

About Geisinger Health System
Founded in 1915, Geisinger Health System (Danville, PA) is one of the nation’s largest integrated health services organizations.  Serving more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, the physician-led organization is at the forefront of the country's rapidly emerging electronic health records movement. Geisinger is comprised of two medical center campuses, three hospitals, a 740-member group practice, a not-for-profit health insurance company and the Henry Hood Center for Health Research—dedicated to creating innovative new models for patient care, satisfaction and clinical outcomes. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org.