A  community newsletter from the Comprehensive Children's Injury Center 
SUMMER 2016
Timely Topics
Preventing Injuries Outside
Yay - summer is finally here! But are you and your family as ready for the summer months as you think you are? With the increased heat, there are many activities that may seem harmless, but have the potential for injury-related consequences. The following are some examples of how to keep you and your children safe this summer, while still taking every opportunity to have fun!
  • Riding bikes, skateboards, and scooters can be a great form of exercise in nice, warm weather. Insist that your children wear their helmets appropriately when riding their bikes, and also model this behavior by wearing your helmet too.
  • Another fun summer activity is taking a dip in the pool. Children always need to have proper adult supervision at the pool, as drowning is one of the leading causes of death for children ages 1 to 4.
  • Make sure children are properly sun-screened for outside play. The last thing a child wants is to have to stay inside for a couple days while their sunburn heals when their friends are still outside playing.
  • Remind your children to take breaks often to re-hydrate. Heat exhaustion is a serious matter that can have extreme effects if appropriate actions are not taken to prevent it.
  • Although it may be tempting, never leave a child in the car while you run a quick errand, whether they are sleeping or not. Vehicles easily heat up to 45 degrees warmer than the outside temperature in a short amount of time, so it's a much better choice to bring the child in with you.
  • Finally, always check in and around your car prior to leaving your home. Children often like to ride their bikes or play with chalk in the driveway, so taking those few seconds to look behind you can be crucial.
Injury Prevention Specialist, Dawne Gardner, recently had some tips to share as well.  Watch her interview with Channel 9 News. If you are interested in even more tips, check out the Safe Kids Worldwide website's entire collection of safety tips.

Riding Bikes, But also Staying Safe - Can it Be Done?

One of summer's greatest past times is family bike rides. However, there are certainly some decisions that can cause an enjoyable activity to quickly become a traumatic nightmare. 

To be sure you and your children are safe this summer, review these tips and check that everyone follows them each and every time:
  • Everyone should have an appropriately-sized bike helmet. Use the steps from this recent article with our own Injury Prevention Specialist, Dawne Gardner, to check proper fit.
  • Buy a bike that fits your child now, not one that they can grow into. They should be able to put both of their feet on the ground when straddling the bike and shouldn't have to bend over too far to reach the handlebars.
  • Inspect everyone's bike to be sure the brakes work, the tires have proper air pressure, and the handlebars and seat are on tight.
  • Set an example for your children and model proper helmet use and bike riding technique.
For more bicycle and helmet safety tips , visit the Safe Kids Worldwide website.
The Ins and Outs of Dog Bite Prevention

As the weather warms up, everyone enjoys being outside, especially with their pets. Unfortunately, sometimes accidents happen and with all the activity and excitement, the dog may decide to bite. 
Most dog bites, even by the family dog, are provoked. If a dog feels threatened, this could cause them to react and bite.

Each year, there are approximately 4.5 million reported dog bites, and many kids between the ages of 5-9 years are affected. No matter if you are playing with the family dog, or come upon a dog while on a walk, there are three simple steps to preventing a dog bite:

1) Take responsibility for our own dogs by training and socializing them properly.

2) Educate your children on the behavior differences between dogs and that not all dogs react well to having their tail or ears tugged or being touched.

3) Educate yourself on why dogs bite, as well as the dog bite prevention rules discussed with your children.

For more information on these dog bite prevention tips, visit dog expert, Cesar Milan's website .
Partner Spotlight
Working Together to Build a Safer Cincinnati
Earlier this Spring, TSJ Media and the CCIC established a partnership to support Hispanic families in the Cincinnati area. As a result of the combined efforts from La Mega 97.7 and The Children's Miracle Network's Hispanic Radiothon, the CCIC has plans in place to make injury prevention more accessible for these families.

With the funds raised from this event, the plan is to build a new playground in the Price Hill community, as well as provide appropriate car seats and other safety equipment to local Hispanic families.

Thank you again to those at TSJ Media, La Mega 97.7, and the organizers of The Children's Miracle Network's Hispanic Radiothon for another successful event! The CCIC is excited about this partnership with TSJ Media and is looking forward to initiating these upcoming projects!
Join Our Cause
Make a Difference
The home is the most common place for children ages 1 to 4 to be injured. Together, we can help prevent these injuries by providing education and free home safety equipment!

Please join us in reducing the risk of home injuries to children under 5 by volunteering for the Home Safety Day for Kids in Avondale and Over the Rhine on July 23rd from 9 am to 2 pm. No experience is needed to volunteer, and we will provide all of the training, equipment, and tools you will need. 

Volunteers like you have helped reduce injuries by more than 50% in homes we've visited! Thank you in advance for participating in such a positive, worthwhile event for the communities of Avondale and Over the Rhine.

Learn more about what it means to be a volunteer, here.
Upcoming Events
Mark Your Calendar!
Playground Build

Saturday, June 25th

The CCIC is working with the Avondale Boys and Girls Club to build a new playground at their facility. We'd love to see you all for this exciting event. Interested? Learn more about volunteering!
Home Safety Day

Saturday, July 23rd

The CCIC is hosting their next Home Safety Day in Avondale and OTR! Learn more about volunteering for the event, or register your home for a safety visit! 
Baby and Beyond Expo

July 30th & 31st

Staff from the CCIC will be on site at the 2nd Annual Baby and Beyond Expo at the Sharonville Convention Center. Take this opportunity to have your car seats checked by certified child passenger safety technicians!
Expert Advice
Keeping Kids Safe During Summertime Activities


Ask an Expert
Traffic Safety Officer Jason Swartwout
Blue Ash Police Department

Q: When should I replace my kid's helmet? 

A:  Here is a basic list for when a helmet should be replaced:
  • If it was impacted in an accident
  • If it doesn't fit properly
  • If it's 15 - 20 years old
  • If the outside of it is made of foam or cloth instead of plastic
  • If the helmet is not approved by CPSC, ASTM, or Snell
  • If you won't wear it - because you hate it
Bike riding is a popular and fun thing to do in the summer, but accidents can happen!  In an effort to get out the message for all bicyclists to wear their helmets, all the time, Cincinnati Children's and the Blue Ash Police Department partner with Target each year and distribute hundreds of free bike helmets at the annual Bike Rodeo.

The Bike Rodeo also has a skills and safety course set-up in the Target parking lot where each person can demonstrate or learn safe riding skills. Riding safely is the most important attribute to preventing injury, but wearing a helmet is second and very easy to do. 

Head injury is the number one cause of bicycle fatalities. Wearing a helmet greatly reduces your risk of serious head injury.  Just like wearing your seat belt, it is easy to do, but easily forgotten. Get your kids in the habit of wearing a helmet and be a good example by wearing one yourself.

Here are my top safety 5 tips for bicyclists:
  1. Wear a properly fitted helmet, all the time.
  2. Ride on the sidewalk when you can (as allowed by your community); if you can't be sure to ride in the same direction as traffic as close to the right curb as possible.
  3. Follow the rules of the road.
  4. Wear bright, easily viewed colors and when riding in low visibility, wear reflective clothing with headlights, rear red reflectors and read flashing red light.
  5. Ride with your children until you are comfortable that they can ride on their own.
Ask an Expert
Firefighter Dane Williams
Montgomery Fire Department

Q: Are fireworks sold locally safe to use?
 
A:  Since over 10,000 people are seen in the emergency department for fireworks related injuries annually and countless more minor injuries are treated at home, the answer is clearly no.  Knowing this, will people quit buying and using them? That answer is also no. So what can we do to minimize the risk to our children?

Adult supervision is primary in prevention of injuries. Follow the directions and precautions that come with your fireworks. Never allow young children to play with or ignite fireworks. Children running around the yard at night, waving 2,000 degree sparking pieces of metal in front of their face and at each other isn't something we'd condone as parents is it? But, this is exactly how sparklers, one of the most common fireworks sold, are used. So here are a few important tips when it comes to fireworks: 
  • Plan ahead! 
  • Review precautions and procedures with your children well before you ignite the first sparkler.
  • Protect the eyes. Even a cheap pair of swimmer's goggles can offer a level of protection from the sparks.
  • Pick up a five gallon bucket at your local hardware store and fill it half way with water. Drop the hot sparkler wire in the bucket when it quits sparking. 
Fireworks that shoot and or explode should be handled by adults only and a safe distance between the audience and the fireworks must be maintained. Plastic surveyors tape is cheap and can be strung up to define the safe area from which to view.

Face, eyes and fingers are injured 75% of the time and the majority of those are burns, so be safe and make your fireworks experience one to remember for the display and not because of an injury.

www.cincinnatichildrens.org/ccic  · 513-636-7865, "Option 1"


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