DETROIT – Summer can be a fun time for kids with more free time and outdoor activities, but with more activities comes more injuries.
In 2023, summer hospital visits for kids increased by 14% from the previous year, with more than one million children going to emergency rooms in July and August alone.
Drowning is an ever-present danger with any body of water. It’s the single-leading cause of death in children between 1-4 years old. It’s a tragedy that can happen to even the most seasoned swimmers.
“It only takes minutes to be in the water and to drown,” said Dr. Kelly Levasseur, the Chief of Pediatric Emergencies at Children’s Hospital of Michigan. “One of the ways we can prevent this is having kids have some kind of safety device on. They really need to have a life jacket on.”
However, being in the water isn’t the only danger people face at the beach or pool. Sun exposure is also a major problem for parents and children.
‘They maybe apply sunscreen first thing in the morning and then they don’t reapply,” Levasseur said. “They can get pretty significantly burned.”
It’s not the only way a child can be burned. Fireworks and sparklers also pose a risk.
“If kids are going to be using sparklers, please make sure they have shoes on,” Levasseur said. “What we see with these sparklers is that they fall on the top of their feet, or they fall to the ground and they’re still going off and they get stepped on and they get burned and they have to come into the emergency department.”
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Now, if your child’s favorite activities are on two or four wheels -- there is one major rule to live by.
“If your kid is going to get on a bike or anything with wheels -- whether it’s motorized or not -- make sure they have a helmet on,” Levasseur said.
If they do wipe out and you suspect a head injury of any kind, call a medical professional to determine if they need additional care. It’s always better to seek care sooner rather than later.
Emergency rooms are extremely busy during the summer months and a considerable number of these injuries can be treated at an urgent care clinic for a fraction of the cost and time.