Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe this Summer, from Bikes to Bugs to Burns

By Gregory Ozark, MD, Internal Medicine & Pediatrics

According to a 2018 study from the CDC, unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children in the United States, and summer activities can expose them to greater risk as they explore the world around them.

Motor vehicle accidents and drowning are two of the more common causes of unintentional injuries.

So, whether summer playtime involves water or wheels, the need for supervision cannot be overemphasized.

Here are tips to help protect children during summer activities:

Wheels Safety Tips

• Always know where your child is going and set a limit on how far he or she can go
• Your child must wear a helmet any time he or she is on wheels – bike, skateboard, scooter or rollerblades
• Make sure the helmet is approved by the American National Standards Institute or meets the Snell helmet safety standards
• Purchase a helmet at a bicycle shop and have it fitted to your child’s head. It must fit snugly, go over the forehead and cover the back of the head
• Protective gear, such as wrist guards and knee and elbow pads, is needed for rollerblading or skateboarding
• Set an example for your child by wearing a helmet and protective gear yourself
• Neither adults nor children should use a phone while bicycling or walking across a street

Water Activity Safety Tips

• Most drownings happen when a child has been out of a parent’s sight for less than five minutes. An adult must be present when a child is around water, including lakes, pools, piers, ponds, rivers and creeks
• Infants and toddlers need a parent present at all times when in or near a bathtub
• While in or near the water, young children should be within an arm’s reach of an adult at all times
• All children ages five and older should have swim lessons
• Home pools should have a 4-foot-high fence that surrounds the entire pool and have a self-latching gate
• Alcohol and boating do not mix, especially if you are steering the boat or supervising children
• Adults and children need to wear a lifejacket when boating

Window Safety Tips

Windows can be extremely dangerous for children, especially young children.

• Screens keep out insects, but they do not prevent a child from falling
• Use a window guard to ensure children are safe when the window is open
• When purchasing guards make sure there is an emergency release in case of fire

Playground Activity Safety Tips

Playgrounds, at the park or home, can be a hazard.

• An adult should be present whenever a child is using playground equipment
• Check that the equipment is no taller than five or six feet and that the surface under the equipment has a more shock absorbent material than cement or grass, such as woodchips or sand

Gregory Ozark, MD, is an internal medicine and pediatric physician at Loyola Medicine.

Dr. Ozark earned his medical degree at Loyola University Chicago's Stritch School of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine and pediatrics at Loyola University Medical Center.

Book an appointment today to see Dr. Ozark or another Loyola specialist by self-scheduling an in-person or virtual appointment using myLoyola.