4 Common Injuries Florida Kids Experience in the Summer
Summertime might be a Florida kid’s favorite time of year. No school. No responsibility. Plenty of time to have fun playing outside. Unfortunately, even if you’ve taught your kids to play outside safely, accidents happen, and while most accidents aren’t a big deal, all accidents should be taken seriously, especially if injuries are involved.
According to a report in Pediatrics, the leading cause of death in children is preventable injuries. So if you know which injuries to look out for, you might be able to prevent them from ever happening.
To help you do this, we’re going to look at four of the most common summertime child injuries.
Summer Accidents to Watch Out for If You Have Kids
- Drowning. In Florida, you can’t escape the water. Whether it’s the ocean, a lake, or a swimming pool, your kids are going to want to dive in and splash around. Because of this, it’s essential that you teach your children to swim at an early age.
Children should always be supervised when playing in or around water, but they should also know and practice proper water safety. If your kid is a weak swimmer or will be on a watercraft, make sure they wear a life jacket. Home swimming pools should also have a fence on all sides.
- Sunburns. Just like we can’t escape water here, we also can’t escape the sun. Whenever your kids will be spending any amount of time outdoors, you should make sure they’re wearing the right kind of clothing and lots of sunscreen.
Pants, long-sleeve shirts, and hats can help protect your child’s skin from harmful UV rays. You should also make sure your kid is wearing sunscreen with at least SPF 15 that also protects against UVA and UVB rays.
Also, remember that it’s not enough to apply sunscreen just once. If your child is going to be spending a lot of time outside, it needs to be reapplied every few hours to make sure it continues to work. By doing this, you’re reducing your child’s risk of sunburns today and skin cancer later in life.
- Heatstroke. It seems like it’s always hot here, but the heat is at its strongest during Florida summers. Because of this, kids who are outside playing all day might be prone to heatstroke if they’re not careful.
Lightweight, light-colored clothing can help keep your child cooler. Scheduling outdoor activities for earlier or later in the day allows you to avoid the hottest time – around 3 p.m. You can also mix in some air-conditioned activities to stay cool like going to the movies or the mall.
Finally, make sure your kid drinks a lot of water to stay hydrated. If it’s really hot, make time for jumping in the pool or taking a cool shower to beat the heat.
- Falls. Whether your kid is riding a bike, climbing a tree, or running around a playground, he or she is susceptible to falling. How can you prevent your child from falling?
First, they should learn the safety rules for the activity. That includes wearing the proper shoes and clothing – helmets for bike riding, sneakers instead of flip-flops or bare feet, and so on. You should also keep a watchful eye on your kids to make sure they stay safe and don’t have an accident when you’re not looking.
Kids can be unpredictable, but if we know to pay attention to these Reach out to an experienced Florida child injuries attorney to discuss your situation and see if you have a case.
About the Author:
Lawlor, White & Murphey in 1998. Since 1995, Mr. Lawlor’s trial advocacy and litigation skills, as well as his wide-ranging legal expertise, have provided plaintiffs and their families with a distinct advantage when seeking financial compensation and justice for injuries caused by the negligence of others. Mr. Lawlor is an EAGLE member of the Florida Bar Association and an active member of the American Association for Justice, the Broward County Justice Association, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and several professional associations.