The week of May 5 is Safe Kids Week, a time dedicated to increase awareness of how to protect children from preventable injuries.
Injuries are the No. 1 cause of death for children in the United States, according to Safe Kids Worldwide® and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Leading causes of child injury include motor vehicle crashes, suffocation, drowning, poisoning, fires and falls.
The good news is child injury is predictable and preventable. Here are some tips to follow to keep children safe:
- Always make sure your child (younger than 13 years of age) is properly secured in a back seat every time they ride in a vehicle.
- Children should remain in a car seat while driving for as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
- Make sure your child wears a helmet when riding a bike or participating in any wheeled sport (e.g., skating, skateboarding or riding a scooter). The helmet must fit properly and should be lightweight so your child’s head and neck can support it.
- When swimming, riding on boats or playing near open bodies of water, always make sure children wear a life jacket, even if they know how to swim.
- Properly secure furniture and televisions (such as flat screens and bulky sized televisions) on a low and stable base.
- Keep medications and poisonous items such as household cleaners out of children’s reach or locked away.
- Do not let children play in hazardous areas such as on stairs, furniture, balconies, driveways, streets or parking lots.
- Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors in your home. Test them monthly and change the batteries once a year.
- Keep babies in cribs that are free of blankets, pillows or soft items.
- Always watch your child when he or she is playing in or near water.
To celebrate National Safe Kids Day, take part in the upcoming Safe Kids Carroll County event being held on Saturday, May 11 at the Flower and Jazz Festival from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Located in the Gehr Parking Lot in downtown Westminster, children can enjoy a range of fun and educational activities to raise awareness on safety.
Caption: Festivalgoers stop by the Carroll Hospital table at a past Safe Kids Day event.
