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Summer is time to play, swim, hike -- safely
By LISA JONES TOWNSEL
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Adults may like summertime, but children know how to experience it. While flowers blossom and butterflies flutter, little tykes find a number of ways to grab hold of the beauty and bounty of the outdoors.
Whether it's swimming in a nearby pond or pool, climbing monkey bars at a playground or simply hiking up a trail, little bodies find several adventures to get involved with.
The problem is, small children and curious preteens seldom know where to draw the line between fun and excessive risk, which can lead to accidents.
Playtime can be fun and frivolous to a fault, says Jerald Miller, executive director of the Safety Council of Greater St. Louis.
"Annually, more than 100,000 children, most between the ages of 5 and 10, are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries associated with playground equipment," Miller says.
"No one playground is going to be right for every child," adds Margaret Ulione, a professor of nursing at the University of Missouri at St. Louis. "You have to match the equipment with the child's physical characteristics. There's a big difference between the equipment that a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old can grip."
It's particularly important that smaller children can completely wrap their fingers around playground equipment handles, Ulione says, "because they have a greater likelihood of falling on equipment that is too large for them."
She offers the following suggestions for playground safety:
- Make sure there are no sharp edges or nails sticking out and the area is free of debris that could injure the child. "Unfortunately, parks are popular with teens, who can leave bottles and cans that younger kids can pick up," Ulione says.
- Always supervise young children during playground play.
- Make sure children are adequately hydrated. "Give them something to drink, hopefully before they get thirsty," Ulione says. "Once they say they're thirsty, you've already gone too long."
Older children "may do more imaginative or active play, or they may be more involved with roughhousing and shoving or wanting to be on the same swing at the same time," Ulione says.
Within most age groups, boys are injured twice as often as girls, child experts say.
"It's believed to be the case because they're involved in more active play," Ulione says.
Water fun presents dangers, too.
"Each year, hundreds of young children die, and thousands come close to death, due to submersion in residential swimming pools," Miller says.
Ulione agrees. "Children, especially smaller ones, can very easily drown in virtually inches of water," she says.
She and others describe drowning as the silent killer.
"Children just walk down the steps," Ulione explains. "You'll look up, and they'll be underwater."
In a time of need, a life preserver can keep a panicky child afloat. And a shepherd's hook, Ulione says, can help to pull an endangered child to the edge of the pool.
If summer plans include swimming at a public pool, Ulione advises parents to make sure the pool's staff includes lifeguards certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Swimming lessons can be helpful, too. "I would make sure that my child had swimming lessons at about 5 years of age because in a busy environment, you want to make sure that your child knows how to get to the side of the pool if they get a cramp or if they're not feeling well," she says.
When camping, experts advise parents to point out areas that are off-limits, particularly sites that may harbor poison ivy and other subtle dangers. Parents who are unsure of how to distinguish poisonous plants from benign ones should check with plant stores and their child's pediatrician for information before setting out on camping trips.
"Keep a watchful eye on what plants they play with," adds Chris Rollins, camping service director for the Girl Scout Council of Greater St. Louis. A good reminder: "Examine it with your eyes, not your fingers."
When hiking with small children, stay on trails with sure footing, experts say. But in all honesty, "don't expect a small child to hike," Ulione says. "You might as well put them on your back. If you want to do a hike, take someone over 8. And remember to pack snacks, plan rest times and make sure they are well-hydrated."
Above all, experts say, parents must remember to have a responsible adult supervising younger children at all times at playgrounds, poolside or during camp play.
"When you go on vacation," Ulione reminds parents, "you don't go on a vacation from parenting."
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