The top 10 summer safety hazards for kids

With summer in full swing, children are spending lots of time outdoors, whether it be at a swimming pool, playing with friends or simply enjoying the sunshine in their backyard. But it’s important for parents to be aware of their child’s activities as most young children aren’t aware of the summer months’ common dangers.

“More children are injured or hurt in the safety of their own home or yard from toys and recreational activities in the summer. Children should always be supervised, especially when swimming or playing outdoors,” says Dr. Nina Muhammad, a pediatric emergency medicine physician at Advocate Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn, Ill. “Injuries from trampolines, scooters and water activities are just a few that can occur in a matter of seconds.”

According to the consumer advocacy group W.A.T.C.H, World Against Toys Causing Harm, the 10 most common summer hazards for children include:

1. Toy guns
2. Airborne toys
3. Hoverboards
4. Shallow backyard water (baby pools and garden buckets)
5. Flotation devices: water wings and rafts
6. Pool covers
7. Trampolines and bounce houses
8. Scooters without motors
9. Drawstrings on jackets and straps on helmets
10. Toys with small parts

Some injuries associated with these hazards are head trauma, broken bones, choking, burns and drowning.

In order to make sure your child is safe at all times, Dr. Muhammad offers the following tips:

• Supervise children at all times
• Make sure kids have a buddy while swimming
• Have children wear a life jacket in water
• Warn children of potential risks
• Wear a helmet when riding a bike, wheeled or motorized toy
• Keep small objects out of reach

“Another thing to keep in mind during the summer months is how quickly children can develop heat stroke, a condition in which an individual’s internal temperature-regulating system fails after enduring extremely high temperatures. Be sure to never leave children in a hot car and encourage young ones to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, along with wearing sunscreen,” says Dr. Muhammad.