Summer is the start of 'trauma season'

By Emily Colomeda

Safe Kids, Safe Communities Coordinator

Lake County Health Department

Another school-year has come to an end, and children everywhere are gleefully immersed in the flurry of warm-weather activities we call associate with summer. As parents, we welcome summer with mixed feelings while struggling with the challenges of child care and boredom prevention. At the same time, children look forward to carefree, fun-filled days of summer recreation. Unfortunately, summer is also the time of year when the number of unintentional injuries and deaths increases.

According to Safe Kids USA (formerly the National Safe Kids Campaign), children will be rushed to emergency rooms nearly three million times for serious injuries in the coming months. The most common dangers that children face during summer are head injuries, sunburn, motor vehicle crashes, drowning, and for older children and teens, alcohol-related injuries. The good news is that by taking a few simple precautions, many of these injuries are preventable.

Whether a child is riding a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard, they must wear a helmet. Nearly half of bike-related hospitalizations are diagnosed as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Traumatic brain injuries are also the leading cause of disability and death in children. A helmet is the simplest, most affordable way to prevent wheel-related TBI, reducing the risk by as much as 88 percent.

In a recent article on SkinCancerNet, a website endorsed by the American Academy of Dermatologists, more and more young people are being diagnosed with skin cancer. Skin cancer is caused by years of unprotected sun exposure, and while most diagnoses are made in the over-50 crowd, skin cancer rates are rapidly rising in people in their 20s and 30s. Using sunscreen will prevent most skin cancers if used aggressively. Applying sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 that provides protection from both UVA and UVB rays at least 30 minutes before sun exposure will help protect you and your children from harmful sunburns. Reapplying after vigorous activity and swimming is required to maintain consistent protection. Other ways to prevent sun overexposure include wearing protective clothing, sunglasses, and a wide-brimmed hat.

Motor vehicle crashes are the number one killer of children during any time of year. Child passenger safety experts recommend that all children under eight years old and 80 pounds need to be properly buckled in a child safety seat or booster seat in order to prevent serious injury or death in a motor vehicle crash. All children under the age of 13 should ride in the back seat properly restrained in a safety belt. Equally as important, adults need to ride buckled up every trip, every time. Unrestrained drivers and passengers can become flying objects during a crash and can potentially kill or seriously injure themselves or other occupants. Always buckle up even if you are only driving in town. No one can predict a crash, but all of us can be prepared for one.

Flathead Lake is a popular summertime hot spot. One can guarantee that on any given sunny, summer day, there will be kids swimming, boating, water skiing and cooling off in the lake. Accidental drowning and trauma due to personal water craft are very common occurrences in and around water. About 1,500 children drown each year in the United States, and for every drowning, there are 6-10 near-drownings. Safe Kids recommends always designating a responsible adult that can keep an undistracted (and unimpaired) eye on children in or near the water. Supervisors should stay within arm's reach of inexperienced or non-swimmers, and

Montana law states that all children under the age of 12 must wear a U.S. Coast Guard- approved personal floatation device (PFD) when on a moving vessel less than 26 inches long. The PFDs must also be the appropriate size and fit for the child wearing it. When operating a personal water craft (PWC), use common courtesy and caution to prevent traumatic injury. Never operate a boat or PWC while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

According to the 2005 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), 34 percent of Montana high school students reported that they had five or more drinks in a row (binge drinking) at least once within 30 days of taking the survey. Teenagers may be more likely to experiment with alcohol in the summer months, and binge drinking a common practice among teens who drink. The fact is that binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning, brain damage, and death.

Alcohol kills more teenagers than all other drugs combined. Recently, Polson School District hosted a presentation by Barry Adkins, a former Kalispell resident and father of 18-year-old Kevin Adkins. Shortly after graduating form high school and moving into his own place, Kevin died of alcohol poisoning after one tragic night of drinking.

Barry mentioned that although he talked a lot with Kevin about the dangers of drinking and driving, he wished he would have talked to him more about the dangers of drinking too much. Kevin's choices cost him his life. Always talk openly with teens about alcohol, and remember to be non-judgmental and approachable to them.

Parents need to stay involved with what their teen children are doing and get to know their friends, especially as they get older and gain more independence.

Keep alcohol away from underage children and be sure that a "zero tolerance" message is clear and consistent.

Of course, these are not the only potential dangers that kids face this summer. Fireworks, bug bites, poisoning, and lightning (among others) pose potential threats to children. Vigilant and conscientious parenting can help keep you and your child free from summer injuries.