Health & Wellness

1. You may relax your routines in the summer, but safety should never take a holiday. Make sure to choose the right car seat or booster seat for your child and use it for every single ride. They reduce the risk of severe injury if you have a collision. Keeping your kids safe on the way to the campground is just as important as keeping them safe once you get there.


2. Fires are a camping tradition, but campfire burns are one of the most common injuries to infants and toddlers. Keep children away from lit fires and put out campfires as soon as you’re done with them – severe burns happen quickly if a child crawls or falls into the coals.


3. Swimming and boating are great family activities, but half of all children who drown in Canada do so in open waters. Keep kids safe by staying within sight and reach whenever they are around water. Make sure you all learn to swim, and use life jackets for kids under five or weak swimmers – even if they are only near the water. Note to Dads: The majority of people who drown while boating are men between the ages of 15 and 45. Everyone needs to wear a life jacket on a boat – not just the kids!


4. Planning to do some biking? Kids who are used to biking on sidewalks may have a hard time keeping their balance on uneven dirt roads. To prevent a head injury from a fall, ensure your kids wear properly fitting bike helmets on every ride.
   


5. Getting to medical help from a campsite will take longer than in the city. Pack a first aid kit and get training in CPR and first aid. You’ll be better prepared if an injury does happen and able to deal quickly with any bumps and scrapes along the way.
   

Pamela Fuselli is the Executive Director of Safe Kids Canada. She has worked in the unintentional injury prevention sector for more than 10 years. For more information, visit www.safekidscanada.ca.

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