Jaguars Cub Club Newsletter Cub Club Newsletter April 2017 | Page 11

Spring 2017
KID TALK
KIDS FALL
Here’s How to
KEEP YOUR CHILDREN
SAFE
“More than 75 percent of all playground-related
injuries are related to falls,” said Cynthia Dennis, RN,
coordinator of Safe Kids Northeast Florida, led by
THE PLAYERS Center for Child Health at Wolfson
Children’s Hospital. “Lack of or improper supervision is
associated with about 45 percent of these injuries.”
Dennis added that children 5 and under play differently
than older children, which is why it’s important to have
a separate play area for younger kids – and
on-the-ball parents who are supervising.
“Keeping an eye on your children is key
in fall-related accident prevention,” she
said. “Make sure what they’re doing is age-
appropriate and that they always have a
safety helmet on when they’re riding a bike
or skateboard. Properly childproofing the
home is another huge step to prevent these
types of accidents.”
“The most dangerous falls are off the bed or furniture,”
said Andrew McGinty, RN, MSN, nurse manager of the
Wolfson Children’s Hospital Emergency Center. “Kids
love to climb so this makes them vulnerable to harmful
falls. Childproofing is so important! Try to look at
everything from a child’s perspective. If it’s ‘climbable,’
your child will see it, too. And always supervise small
children and toddlers because it only takes a second for
a hazardous fall to happen.”
For more information on childproofing,
safety helmets, playground safety
and more, visit wolfsonchildrens.org/
safekids.
The majority of serious falls actually
happen at home, where children are twice
as likely to be injured.
Cub Club Quarterly
11