Summer Safety - Injury Prevention Resources
Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death for children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As activity levels rise during the summer months, we have developed a variety of educational resources to improve safety knowledge among families. Our physician liaisons are working to distribute our latest packet of materials on the topic of summer safety which includes:
· Resources for families that cover safety topics such as drowning prevention and water safety, car seat safety and helmet safety. Digital safety is also included since children will have more available time to spend online during the summer months.
· Resources for you and your staff related to bone fracture care, minor burn care, sports injuries and more.
Preventing Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke
Rising temperatures renew the need for a reminder about the danger of pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH). Most cases involving unintentional vehicular heatstroke are the result of memory failures that lead to caregivers unknowingly leaving a child in the car. The Ohio AAP recently partnered with Proctor & Gamble to build awareness of PVH and prevention techniques through a paper called “Preventing Pediatric Vehicular Heatstrokes: Overcoming Prospective Memory Failure.” This paper explains how prospective memory failure, false memories and other contributing factors can lead to PVH. It also describes important safety precautions, like those promoted as part of the Bag in the Back campaign, which all caregivers should take to prevent hot vehicle deaths.
Helpful resources for caregivers include:
· Cincinnati Children’s Blog – Preventing Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke: Remember to A.C.T.
· The Sofia Foundation for Children’s Safety – Bag in the Back campaign resources to help build safer habits