I keep reading about preventable injuries. What products/toys are most likely to put my child in harm's way?
Sabrina G. emailed us at expert@sweetspot.ca, and SweetMama pediatrician, Dr. Karen Dockrill, answered;
You are probably on the hunt for that “wow” gift for your child. But, before you go shopping check out the Child & Youth Injury in Review 2009.
This year's report focuses on consumer product safety. In 2006, 1.6 million children visited the ER with an unintentional injury and over 50% of all injuries were associated with a consumer product!
- Wheels or gliders: Products that pace children above the running speed of their own feet increase the odds of falls or collisions. Helmets are a must, as are elbow and knee pads. Even the “roller wheels” in running shoes contribute to speed injury.
- Jumping is the second greatest cause of injury! Trampolines are a particularly injury prone apparatus. Supervision cannot be replaced by netting around trampolines. Instructions for safe play, recognition that children under six years are too young for trampolines and monitoring for strings, jewellery or other entanglement risks are a must for all spotters.
- Magnets: For individual toys, ones with magnets contribute to the most severe injuries. When two or more swallowed magnets connect in the bowel, children require surgery to remove the magnets before a serious bowel injury occurs. Toys with magnets are not for children under three years old, nor for any child that tends to put small items in their mouth.
- Backpacks: Backpacks have contributed to shoulder and back injuries. To avoid such injuries, assure books and electronics carried are less than 15% of a child’s weight and teach your child to distribute the weight evenly over the back versus carrying over one shoulder.
- Electronics: MP3 players and video games can also put children at risk for injury. Young ears are sensitive to loud noises and new research suggests children are at risk for hearing loss when spending long periods listening to MP3 music with headphones. Video games can also raise the decibel range and for some children the strobe effect of the screen can cause Video Game-Induced Seizures. More practical however, walking with the distraction of music or hand-held games can be injurious by itself when children become less attentive to pedestrian safety rules.
Everything comes with a potential injury risk. As parents, being knowledgeable about how to minimize risk and speaking to our children about risk taking behaviours are our best tools in supporting happy and safe growth!
Happy Holidays!
Dr. Dockrill has been the Medical Director for Maternal and Newborn services in two Ontario hospitals, in addition to being Director of several Level II and III neonatal intensive care units. After leaving hospital-based practice in 2004, Dr. Dockrill founded Mom and Baby Depot Health and Family Resource Center in Whitby, Ontario. For more information, visit www.momandbabydepot.ca.
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