Playground Injuries Prevention Tips
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Health Tip of the WeekPublished on
Health Tip of the Week Playgrounds are a wonderful resource for families, offering children a chance to exercise their bodies and their imaginations. They let children experience thrills in a mostly safe environment.
As children test their limits by climbing to new heights, and as they move around among other swinging, sliding or jumping kids, accidents can happen. And some equipment at some playgrounds is not as safe as it should be.
Each year, more than 200,000 children are treated in hospital emergency rooms for playground-related injuries. Most of those injuries are from falls. Serious injuries are also caused by collisions, faulty equipment and by entanglement, when clothing is caught on something sharp as a child jumps or slides.
Gina Duchossois, MS, an injury prevention expert with the Injury Prevention Program at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Chair of Safe Kids Southeastern Pennsylvania, has some advice for parents on reducing the risk of playground injuries.
“Start by taking a scouting trip,” says Duchossois. “Visit the playground yourself, before you bring your child. Check to see that the equipment is appropriate for your child’s age. Make sure the equipment is in good condition, with no broken pieces and nothing sharp sticking out that might catch clothing.”
Here are some key safety features to look for when you inspect a playground:
There are also some hazards to watch out for:
Report dangerous playgrounds to the organization responsible for them.
“It’s important to talk with your child about how to play safely on a playground,” Duchossois continues. Here are the messages she suggests you teach your child.
Parents are responsible for dressing young children in appropriate clothing for playground play, and for monitoring them to be sure they play safety.
Contributed by: Gina P. Duchossois, MS
Categories: Health Tip of the Week