Child Safety Tips to Prevent Pediatric Emergencies
June is unique because we celebrate Children’s Awareness Month, giving us the perfect opportunity to prioritize our children’s health and well-being.
As school ends and kids prepare to enjoy summer, it’s essential to remember safety to help prevent injuries and illnesses.
Pediatric Emergencies
A pediatric emergency is any severe injury or illness that threatens your child’s health or can result in permanent harm.
Around 20% of annual emergency room visits correspond to pediatric emergencies. The most common reasons for children’s ER visits include:
- Respiratory infections
- Sprains and Strains
- Digestive disorders, including abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting
- Asthma
- Wounds
- Broken bones
- Accidental poisoning
Tips to Prevent Pediatric Emergencies
As caregivers, we are responsible for keeping our children safe and preventing unnecessary ER visits. While it’s impossible to avoid all accidents and illnesses, there are ways we can improve their safety.
Always Supervise Young Children at Play
Kids are curious by nature and unaware of the potential dangers that may surround them. Therefore, supervising young children as they play is essential. Remember, it only takes a few seconds for a child to drown or fall and seriously injure themselves.
Only Allow Your Children to Play with Age Appropriate Toys and Playground Equipment
Look for age-appropriate toys for your children, and always abide by playground equipment’s age and height regulations.
Small toy parts are a choking hazard for young children. Therefore, you should avoid having them play with toys that have small removable parts.
Likewise, avoid playground equipment intended for older children while playing at a local park.
Teach Your Children About Proper Play Behavior
Many pediatric injuries are the result of rough play. Teaching your children not to push or shove others and not to throw objects or hit other children is vital to preventing injuries.
Use Sun Protection
Children’s skin is more sensitive to sunlight than that of adults. To prevent sunburns, please always apply sunscreen on your kids when playing outside.
Keep Them Hydrated
The summer heat can quickly cause dehydration, and children have a higher risk of dehydration because they may not recognize the warning signs.
To ensure proper hydration, ensure your kids drink a full glass of water before playing. Remind them to drink water, especially on sweltering days, at least once every 30 minutes.
Offer them water-rich snacks, including fruits like watermelon, oranges, strawberries, and grapes. You can also prepare 100% juice popsicles with no added sugar, which will cool them down and keep them hydrated.
Make Sure Kids Wear Protective Gear
If your child enjoys riding a bike, skating, skateboarding, or playing sports, it’s vital to ensure they wear appropriate protective gear to minimize the impact if they fall.
Helmets, knee pads, and should pads are essential to prevent serious injuries. Ensure your child understands the importance of wearing these and how to wear them properly.
Secure Furniture to Prevent Tip-Overs
When childproofing your home, remember to anchor bookshelves, dressers, and televisions to the wall to prevent them from tipping over and injuring your child.
Additionally, consider removing heavy or glass objects from the top of your furniture, as children can accidentally knock them down, causing injury.
Never Leave Medications Out
Accidental poisoning and overdosing on medications are genuine concerns for parents. To prevent these, always store medicines in a place out of reach for children.
Teach Your Children to Wash Their Hands Regularly
Having clean hands is one of the best ways to avoid infectious diseases like colds, flu, and stomach viruses.
Teach your kids to rub soap on their hands for at least 20 seconds. And also show them how to clean between their fingers and the front and back of their hands.
Additionally, teach them not to touch their mouth, nose, or eyes when their hands are dirty.
Don’t Let Children Play In the Kitchen or Around the Grill
Most pediatric burn injuries are preventable. But children must understand the dangers of playing near hot surfaces such as the kitchen stove or grill.
It would be best never to allow children to run freely in the kitchen while cooking. You also never leave food on the burner unattended and don’t let your children near the grill while it is hot.
No matter how much you try to protect your children from getting injured or sick, there will be times when they do. At Prestige ER, we provide the best pediatric emergency care with specialized examining rooms and equipment and, of course, the most caring doctors and nurses.
Know Where to Go in the Event of an Emergency
Prestige ER is Your #1 Choice During an Emergency.
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Prestige ER is honored to serve the residents and those passing through Plano and Mesquite.
Part of caring for your health is to know where to go in case of an emergency. Please keep in mind that Prestige ER is Open 24/7 every day of the year, if you need us, we are here for you.
We are available 24/7 because an accident can happen at any time. Do not risk your health! Get help from the ER experts when you need it, visit us immediately.
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Find the ER Specialists at prestigeer.org, We provide the Best 24 HR. Emergency Medical Services in Plano. Don’t Wait in Line for ER Care! Don’t forget that WE STAY OPEN 24/7.
Get back on track to enjoying life, FAST! Experienced, Effective and Caring Emergency Physicians team up with the best On-Site ER care for everything from minor to major injuries and conditions.
- CT Scan, Digital X-Ray & Ultrasound
- Certified Full-Service Diagnostic Laboratory
- Specialized Pediatrics ER Care Facilities
- Extended Stay Capacity
