Articles Posted in Injuries to Minors and Children

In the summer, injuries to minors and children are more common, since children are out of school and often taking part in more activities outside the home. Summertime should be a wonderful time for children, and you can ensure that your child has a wonderful and safe summer by being wary of these common summertime injuries:

1) Pedestrian accidents. Pedestrian accidents injure many children and minors each summer, simply because there are more children on sidewalks and roadways. Always teach your children how to cross the street properly and if you children are playing outside, make sure that they play well away from the street area. You don’t want a child running into traffic to follow a lost ball or Frisbee.

2) Boating accidents. In the summer, as many families get out their boats for the summer, boating accidents become a serious concern. The best way to prevent boating accidents is with prevention. Ensure that everyone in your boat wears the correct safety gear and make sure that all children are wearing life vests that are properly fitted. Teach your children to swim. If it has been a while since you have taken a boating safety course, consider taking a refresher class.

Florida has many water parks and theme parks offering water rides and slides. While these can be a great deal of fun, they can also pose dangers to children. Although all water parks take precautions to prevent injuries, brain injuries, dental injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other injuries are still a risk. Here’s how to keep your child safe at water parks:

1) Read the warning signs and follow them. The warning signs are there for a reason, so make sure that you read any warnings and follow them exactly. If certain clothing items are required, for example, make sure your children are wearing the right gear. If children are not allowed to stand up in a water ride, make sure they remain seated.

2) Make sure your children wear proper shoes near water slides and rides. Shoes should have good treads, since water parks inevitably have many slippery areas as water gets splashed everywhere. Encourage your children not to run near water slides and rides, where splashed water may make some surfaces slippery.

Each year, almost 5000 children across America fall out of windows and experience either serious injuries or fatalities. About 28% of children who fall out of windows require at least a hospital stay. Window screens simply do not provide enough of a barrier – about 40-60% of children who fall out of windows fall out of windows that have screens.

Now that the weather is warmer, many people across Florida and the nation are throwing open their windows. Unfortunately, in homes with smaller children and toddlers, this simple act can result in serious and even permanent injury. Falls out of windows can result in beck injuries, abdominal injuries, brain injuries, and permanent disability. In cases where children land on a hard surface such as asphalt or concrete, the chances of severe injury and fatality are greater.

Most cases of falls out of windows occur in the spring and summer and the majority happen in a child’s home. Falls out of windows can be a concern in single-family homes. Even a fall out of a first or second-story window can cause serious injury. Obviously, falls out of high-rise apartment buildings tend to be especially tragic.

Drowning is the second-leading cause of death for Americans between 5 and 24 years of age. Water-related accidents can include drowning, pool-related accidents, and boating accidents. Accidents near bodies of water can be fatal and can also cause serious injuries, including brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and other injuries. Many water-related accidents can be avoided. Here’s how:

1) Never swim alone. Whether you are a teen or an adult, always swim with someone else present. Even if you have had lots of experience, sudden cramps, fatigue, or a current can pose an immediate danger. Children should never swim without qualified adult supervision.

2) Get lessons. Children should be taught to swim at an early age – swimming lessons can help save your child’s life if your child falls into a lake or pool. Adults should get first-aid and CPR classes. Every adult supervising children who are swimming should be a strong swimmer and should have CPR training in case mouth to mouth is needed.

Today, virtually every home has a computer or home office. Many children and minors spend considerable time on the home computer, studying, playing games, and chatting with friends. While in recent years parents have become more savvy about the threat of online predators, many parents are not aware of the personal injuries that can result from computers.

Computers are not just a means of communication. There are also physical objects that can produce muscle injuries, bruises, joint injuries, lacerations, and other personal injuries among children and adults. Because the children and minors tend to spend especially long periods of time on the computer, they are especially susceptible to repetitive stress injuries and other personal injuries related to the computer.

Teens are at risk of developing blurred vision, back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome if the spend many hours working at a computer for homework or for play. Teens will sometimes spend hours online or on the computer, without shifting position and without becoming aware that they are at risk of an injury. To prevent this, it is important to provide an ergonomically correct workstation for teens, and to encourage teens to get up and walk around the room every hour or so while they are on the computer.

Many teens take on part-time work during the school year and sometimes full-time work in the summer to generate spending money or to help pay for college. While work can build skills and discipline, however, it can also be dangerous. In addition to car accidents, on-the-job personal injuries are among the top causes of fatalities among young people. Experts and Workers’ Compensation Boards claim that many workplace injuries involving minors are very preventable. According to experts, the main, preventable, reasons for workplace injuries include:

1) Lack of worker training and safety precautions. Employers are required by law to create safe working conditions, but not all employers are conscientious about doing so. Many young workers may not be comfortable speaking out about possible safety violations, may not notice these violations or may not be aware of their legal rights.

2) Young workers who are so eager to please that they do not ask questions about work safety. Many young workers want to make a good impression and may not have the work experience to ask about workplace safety.

3) Lack of understanding about workplace risks or safety rules. Some young workers report that they don’t really understand the safety instructions they are given but fail to admit this fact to employers because they are eager to make a good impression. Many young workers do not understand the risks of a job or do not appreciate the dangers of a job.

Young workers can make choices about workplace safety when they interview for a new job. Experts recommend that young workers ask their employers and potential employers these questions about work safety:

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Many schools and even local after-school programs have been sending release forms home with children for years. The release forms were mandatory for a child to participate in a specific activity and essentially was a promise that the parent would not sue if the child suffered a personal injury as a result of the activity. The forms made it easier for insurance companies and gave activity planners some peace of mind.

The rules have now changed, after the Florida Supreme Court decided that such release forms are not valid for commercial activities such as ATV courses, go-carts and similar activities. Florida businesses can now be sued if any injuries to minors and children take place on the premises. Business will now have to improve their liability insurance or stop accepting children as patrons. Non-profit activities related to church groups, Scouts, school groups and other similar activities will not be affected by the ruling.

Some legal experts note that the new ruling does open up the possibility of lawsuits even in the case of non-profits, however, since commercial and non-profit activities are often combined for school aged children. For example, church groups or schools may want to take children to Disney World, a non-profit group may transport children via charter bus. Some attorneys predict that in these cases, lawsuits may result after the new ruling.

At this time of year, many children are home from school more often and many families are planning for the holidays. The hectic schedule, increased presence of children and holiday trimmings can lead to plenty of personal injuries, experts claim. Among the biggest dangers:

1) Accidental poisonings. Holiday decorations can include poinsettias, mistletoe, and oils and products meant to smell like cranberries or gingerbread. These new items can prove to be very tempting for young children, especially when these products are scented. Pets can also be in danger of ingesting these potentially harmful products. Where possible, keep such items well out of reach and supervise children and pets closely.

2) Burn injuries. When families are busy and candles are left burning to bring holiday cheer to a home, fires can accidentally start. Children may also get to close to the flame. Additionally, fireplaces are often lit at this time of year, creating additional risks. Additional electrical use – in the form of outdoor decorations and indoor lights – can also pose fire hazards. Keeping candles and fireplaces monitored at all times can help prevent many fires and burn injuries. Checking the state of electrical wires and avoiding excessive electrical products in one outlet can help prevent electricity fires.

While many Florida parents worry about scary stories and bad candy that could hurt children at Halloween, experts agree that there are more frightening risks lurking at this time of year, and many of those risks have to do with children’s Halloween costumes. Among the risks that parents should be aware of:

1) Slip and fall accidents. On Halloween night, streets are dark and may be slippery with spilled candy, fallen leaves, and pieces of broken carved pumpkins. Costumes that obstruct a clear vision of the sidewalk can mean that children slip and slide. In addition, too-long costumes can cause tripping and falling.

2) Car accidents. Costumes should be easily visible and should have lights or reflective pieces so that cars can easily see children who are out trick or treating. There are many children’s flashlights and strobe lights that can add to a child’s costume and can keep the child safe on Halloween night.

Public swimming pools are intended to be a safe place of recreation. Swimming pools in recreation centers, community centers, schools, and clubs all are required to have safety measures in place. The safety measures include barriers that prevent people from entering the pool after hours, on-duty lifeguards, and other safety precautions. Despite this, children and adults alike are injured in pools every year.

USA Safekids reports that for children ages 14 years of age and under, drowning constitutes the second major cause of injury-related fatality. In 2004 alone, 3702 children had near-drowning experiences that required emergency treatment. In about 40% of these cases, children had nearly drowned in swimming pools. According to the Drowning Prevention Foundation, 19% of childhood drowning deaths occur in public pools with certified lifeguards present. The Orange County California Fire Authority reports that a swimming pool is 14 times more likely than a car to cause the death of children 4 years of age and under.

Parents should not just be worried about fatalities, either. According to the National Safety Council, 5,000 children ages 14 and under are hospitalized due to near-drowning-related injuries. Of these an estimated 15% die in the hospital while another 20% suffer severe and permanent disability. Common pool-related injuries include broken limbs, head injuries, spinal cord injuries and other injuries.