My son turned 10 years old recently.  For his birthday he asked for a Tony Hawk skateboard.  He received the closest off-brand version his dad could find, along with a helmet, elbow and knee pads, and gloves from his grandparents.  I would have preferred to swaddle him in a bubble wrap body suit as well, but that doesn’t seem to be popular with the preteen set.

        As he grows, his dad and I struggle to balance his need for independence with our desire to ensure his safety.  As it turns out, we have cause for worry.  Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among kids age 1 to 14, with children above age 10 at most risk.  Summer is when children are most likely to suffer fatal accidents, due to warmer days and more hours of daylight, seasonal activities, and school vacation.  Fatal accidents peak in July, according to a six-year study by Safe Kids USA, a member of a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury (National Safe Kids Campaign report: Summer - Trauma Season: A National Study of the Seasonality of Unintentional Childhood Injury, May 2001).

        Among the major findings of the study:

•  July is the deadliest time of year, with 12 percent of unintentional injury-related deaths occurring in this month alone.

•  Deaths among children ages 10–14 increase the most dramatically during the summer months. Deaths among children ages 5–9 also increased substantially during the summer.

•  Mountain states (including Idaho) and West North Central states experienced the greatest summer increases (greater than 30 percent) in unintentional injury deaths.

•  The majority (two-thirds) of these deaths were a result of bike and pedestrian accidents, motor vehicle occupant injury, falls, and drowning.

        Alissa McKinley of St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital is the Safe Kids Treasure Valley Coalition Coordinator.  She says that the major areas of childhood injuries fall into two main areas: those involving occupied motor vehicles and those that are water-related.

        Children who are in a car accident without being properly restrained make up the largest group of injury-related deaths, McKinley says.  In 2005, the Idaho Legislature passed a law that children up to age 7 have to be properly restrained.  That means rear-facing seats for infants under a year old and 20 pounds, forward-facing convertible seats with five-point harnesses for toddlers, and booster seats for older children. 

        McKinley says that childhood safety advocates considered passage of this legislation a victory, but she stresses that safety guidelines for children go even further.  Beyond the age of 7, the American Academy of Pediatrics (http://www.aap.org/family/carseatguide.htm) and other groups recommend booster seats for any child under 4'9", saying shoulder belts simply aren’t designed to protect someone smaller.  And, until their 13^th birthday, McKinley says, children should continue to sit in the back seat of a car.

        McKinley says that in addition to deaths caused by car accidents, water-related deaths in Idaho are so significant that several years ago, Idaho was ranked in the top five states for water-related deaths of children.

        “And this in a state with no large bodies of water,” McKinley says, but with a large number of canals.  The Safe Kids Coalition mounted a public information campaign the year following that disturbing statistic. The number of water-related accidents in Idaho decreased, but McKinley still urges parents to be cautious around water.  She suggests designating an adult “water watcher,” or someone designated as actively watching children playing in water—including inflatable and portable pools—at all times, until relieved of those duties by someone else.

        Since 1988, Safe Kids USA, in partnership with Johnson & Johnson Company, has designated the first week in May as National Safe Kids Week: a campaign to draw attention to the need for close supervision, proper safety devices, and other simple prevention measures to help children avoid injury — particularly in the summer months.

        But statistical information pointing to childhood injury-related fatalities peaking in July showcases how parents need to maintain their vigilance throughout the summer.

        “Parents talk to their children about safety at the beginning of summer,” McKinley says, “and tend to relax a bit toward the middle,” when she says they need to remain watchful.

        Other summer-related injuries noted by the study include bicycle and pedestrian accidents and falls—a  fact which brings me back to my concern for my son, and his pack of neighborhood friends who ride scooters, skateboards, and bikes up and down neighborhood streets from dawn until dusk most summer days. 

        Helmet use has always been the norm in our household, although my husband and I didn’t take up the habit until we realized our children would question a double standard.  Today, though, our kids notice other children with different safety standards—particularly with regard to helmets.

        McKinley says child safety experts know that peer pressure is a significant deterrent to proper helmet use.  Multiple studies including one from the Nemours Foundation (kidshealth.org and education.com/reference/article/Ref_Helmet_Wearing/) point to the increase in helmet use by kids whose peers wear helmets. Even more significant is the connection between kids who wear helmets and parents who wear them.  In short, if you haven’t become a helmet wearer yourself, consider doing so to set an example for your children.

        McKinley recommends buying one of the multi-purpose helmets professional skateboarders and other athletes use for competition.  Bring your child with you and have him pick out one that fits well, and that he appreciates.

        “Professional skateboarders in particular are making it cool for kids to wear a helmet, because they wear one” she says, although she notes that elbow and knee pads are still notably absent.

        I must also note that bubble wrap is also not considered popular safety gear among professional athletes, but I keep trying.

Resources to Stay Safe:

www.idahocareline.org

    This site includes links to other kid-related agencies, safety fliers and other information.

itd.idaho.gov/ohs/ChildSafety/index.html

    Check this out for handy print-out guidelines, safety seat ratings, and car seat safety check sites and dates.

usa.safekids.org

    This site has safety guidelines and tips for every childhood injury hazard and includes safety news and activities for kids.

Beth Markley is a freelance writer and nonprofit consultant.  She and her husband live in Boise with their two boys.