Trampolines, ATVs and sparklers: Children's Hospital stresses need for safety amid summer fun

Jun 13, 2023

Whether it's wearing a helmet or not being on your phone while kids are in pools, a safe summer takes effort from everyone.

Whether it's wearing a helmet or not being on your phone while kids are in pools, a safe summer takes effort from everyone.

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Whether it's wearing a helmet or not being on your phone while kids are in pools, a safe summer takes effort from everyone.

While school may be out for most students, lessons and safety stretch far into the summer.

Camps, vacations and playtime are on the minds of many kids, but Cincinnati Children's Medical Center urge parents and guardians to think about implementing safe play and festivity practices to help keep kids out of the emergency room and derail any fun summer plans.

Children's Hospital told WLWT it often sees an increase in sports-related, ATV, trampoline and water-related accidents in the summer. It also sees an increase in fire-related injuries.

"Fortunately, the most common injuries that we see from fireworks are minor burns," Children's Hospital Emergency Department Physican Brad Sobolewski said, "And that doesn't mean that they can't be more dangerous. I think, again, the theme is supervision. You know, children should not be allowed to use fireworks on their own. This includes sparklers and many folks view those as harmless. But every year, we will see substantial burns to the hands, face or even the eyes from sparkler-related injuries."

When it comes to taking your kids swimming, Sobolewski encourages people to be present and to make sure their pool is up to code, especially with any required fencing.

"Supervision means you are watching your child. You are not watching your phone. You're not relying on a security video camera feed," Sobolewski said. "And you're really there to keep your children safe. So any kid under the age of four, so under preschool, should be within arm's reach. You know, that touch supervision that the American Academy of Pediatrics mentions, this means being close enough to grab your child until they're comfortable with being able to swim on their own."

For trampolines, Sobolewski reminds families to only allow a few people to jump at a time. He told WLWT he has treated kids with injuries where there were more than 10 people jumping at the same time. He says jumping with too many people, despite their weight, can cause a common injury called a "trampoline fracture."

"When you have multiple children jumping on the same trampoline, imagine the trampoline coming up as a child is landing. This transmits a lot of force to the lower leg and you can have a fracture to the top of the tibia," Sobolewski said.

Sobolewski reminded kids to wear helmets if they are on any vehicle involving wheels, including ATVs and bikes.

If a child were to get hurt, Sobolewski said a trip to the emergency department would be needed if there was evidence of a broken bone, trouble breathing or extreme pain. If a child has a sprain or strain, they may be able to skip the ER and visit their pediatrician or a local clinic instead.

Overall, Sobolewski said parents and families need to use their best judgment and wisdom in teaching their kids safe behavior to help everyone have a fun summer ahead.