Updated on: 11/15/2019
Summer means that children have less supervision.
Combine that with their growing bodies and addled awareness and the chances that they'll be hurt increase dramatically.
But one thing that child safety experts say is relatively consistent and predictable about child injuries, especially in the United States, is that there is a significant increase in frequency during the summer months.
Full-time jobs and other types of commitments can make it difficult for parents to monitor children and prevent them from being injured in an accident. Adding to that the fact that summer time means kids are out of school and have much more time on their hands, constant monitoring can be an even more difficult challenge for parents to overcome.
Falls Among Most Common Cause of Child Injuries
According to numerous surveys conducted at American pediatric centers, the most common form of child injuries during the summer time result from falls. Children are much more active on playgrounds and in pools, which experts believe is one of the main contributing factors to the trend.
In fact, the University of Washington Medicine Department warns, "Every year, 30 to 50 children are treated for injuries caused by falls from windows. Window screens do not keep children from falling. They are designed to pop out for fire safety and can be pushed out by the weight of a toddler."
Additionally children under the age of six should not play on equipment that is higher than four feet tall, and that a general rule should be for parents to keep their children away from structures that are more than twice the height of the child. The reason for this being that children are at much greater risk of serious injuries from falls if they fall twice as far as their own height.
Children, Motor Vehicle Accidents and TBIs
Kids are also much more likely to be exposed to the potential of motor vehicle accidents during the summer months, as bicycle riding and walking in neighborhoods is much more common during this time.
These accidents often result in traumatic brain injuries, parents should always encourage their children to wear a safety helmet whenever they are riding anything with wheels.