A new study by a group of US researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Columbus, Ohio’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital has found that accidents and injuries involving children occur often during holiday times, but most holiday injuries are not related to the holidays. Most injuries during these times of year actually are related to common incidents, such as sports injuries or slip and fall injuries in the home.
Traditionally, many people have assumed that the majority of childhood injuries during holidays such as Memorial Day or Independence Day include burn injuries from fireworks or other holiday-related injuries. In fact, sports injuries, play-time-related injuries, and bad falls were the most common injuries reported for children during various holiday seasons during the year.
The study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Ohio’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital found that children’s injuries were most likely to occur around Labor Day. The second most likely holiday for a childhood injury or accident was Memorial Day, followed by Independence Day and Halloween. The study will be published in the May issue of Pediatrics journal.
In the meantime, parents may wish to plan for summer holiday time with this study in mind. While many parents may consider holiday-specific injuries and hazards, it seems that the real concerns are the everyday injuries which can always cause harm:
1) Trip and fall and slip and fall injuries. Keeping walkways free and clear of debris and toys is a great place to start. Cleaning up spills in kitchens and on floors is also a must in preventing these common injuries. During a holiday, there may be more traffic and bustle in a home, which can mean more clutter. Getting everyone involved in tidying up is a must to keep the house clean and safe.
2) Sports-related injuries. Sports-related injuries can often be prevented with good sports safety equipment and good supervision. Make sure that your child’s sports are well supervised by a responsible adult and insist on good sports gear, including a good helmet to prevent brain injuries in contact sports such as football. Good footwear can also help prevent falls and other injuries on the field.
3) Injuries related to play time. Play time should be about fun, but fun shouldn’t come at the expense of safety. Periodically, check your child’s games and toys. Are they age-appropriate? Check online for any poor safety reports or recalls that may affect your child’s favorite toys. Periodically, check the condition of toys. A chewed toy is no longer safe if parts are breaking off and posing a choking hazard. If areas of a toy have worn away with use, make sure no sharp edges are exposed. The way that children play with toys can sometimes render the toys unsafe.