Keeping Your Home Safe

NURS 440Jonnie Adjei Jr, Sara Mahmood, Joanna Marquez, Peichien Tsai, Kelley Young

Safe Kids, Smart Parents There is nothing worse than a parent losing a child to injury, but what if there are ways to prevent common child injuries in your home. We will discuss the common injuries linked to children at home and ways to prevent them.

● Preventable injuries are the #1 killer of kids in the United States ● 2,200 children (6 per day) die at home from unintentional injuries● More than 3.5 million visit the ER per year with common home injuries which are from

○ Firearms○ Fire / Burns○ Drowning○ Medications○ Poisoning○ Playgrounds○ Road Safety

Safe Kids Worldwide (2016)

Medication Safety● Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning today.● Each day in the United States there are approximately 165 young kids who are treated in

the E.R after getting into medications.● 95% of medication related ER visits for children under 5 are due to ingestion while

unsupervised, the 5% is due to dosing errors● 56 children under ages 14 each year die from unintentional medication overdose● 23% (541, 765) of cases managed by poison control centers in 2015 involved medication

related poisoning among children 5 and younger.● 100% of these injuries are preventable with the right education(Safe Kids Worldwide 2016).

Medication Safety - Prevention● Put all medication up, out of sight and reach of children● Close your medicine caps tightly after every use. Choose child-resistant caps for medicine

bottles, if you're able to.● Keep all medicine in their original packages and containers.● Take the time to read the label and follow the directions.● Use the dosing device that comes with the medicine.● Clean out your medicine cabinet. Reduce the risk of kids getting into medicine by getting rid

of unused or expired medicine.● To dispose of it yourself, pour the medicine into a sealable plastic bag. If the medicine is a

pill, add water to dissolve it.● Don't refer to medicine as candy● Communicate to kids the importance of only taking medicine that is meant for them.● Educate your pre-teens and teens on how to read an over-the-counter drug facts or

prescription label.● Put the toll-free Poison Help number (1-800-222-1222) in your phone (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016)

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

● Its an invisible odorless poisonous gas, produced by incomplete combustion of any fuel (gasoline, kerosene, propane, natural gas)

● Results from faulty furnaces, heating appliances, portable generators, water heaters, clothes dryers and cars left running in garages

● Carbon monoxide can in your home can be fatal, killing within minutes or hours, depending on the concentration in the air.

● Children are especially vulnerable to the effects of carbon monoxide because of their size

● Symptoms include headache, nausea, drowsiness. (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016)

Carbon Monoxide Prevention

● Install a carbon monoxide alarm on every floor in your home.● Don’t use a grill, generator or stove inside your home, garage or near a

window● Don’t warm vehicles in the garage with the door closed, its safer to pull

vehicle outside to warm● Keep gasoline away from heat, spark or source of flame, even clothes dryers

and waters heaters can start fires● Never use a gas range or stove for heating a room● Know symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning : ( headache, dizziness,

weakness , nausea , vomiting, sleepiness and confusion)

(Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016)

Drowning and Prevention

● # 1 cause of injury related death between 1 and 4 years old.● # 3 cause of injury related death among children 19 and below

PREVENTION

● Never leave children unattended around water. Babies can drown in as little as one inch of water

● Give young children 100% attention when they are around water.● Empty tubs, buckets, containers, and wading pools immediately after use.● Keep toilet lids closed and use toilet seat locks to prevent drowning● Parents need to learn and be efficient in life saving techniques liKE CPR (Safe Kids

Worldwide, 2016).

Fire Safety● Each year more than 2,500 people die and 12,600 are injured in home fires in

the United States.● Fire spreads quickly; there is no time to gather valuables or make a phone

call. In just 2 minutes, a fire can become life-threatening. In 5 minutes, a residence can be engulfed in flames.

● Heat and smoke from fire can be more dangerous than the flames. Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs.

● Fire produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. Instead of being awakened by a fire, you may fall into a deeper sleep.

● Asphyxiation (insufficient supply of oxygen to the body) is the leading cause of fire deaths.

● Home fires can be prevented! (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016)

Fire Safety - Prevention● Install working smoke alarms on every level of your home. They decrease

chances of dying by 50%● Teach kids to never play with matches and lighters, keep away from reach of

them.● Create and practice an escape plan in case of fire.● Blow out candles before you leave the room or before you go to sleep.● Learn how to use fire extinguisher. (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016)

Home safety in Lead Poisoning ScreeningAccording to CDC’s Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Report, there are at least 4 million household have children that living in them that are being exposed to high levels of lead (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016)

The ideal blood lead levels should be kept as low as possible but at least below 5 micrograms per deciliter (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016)

Elevated Blood Lead levels can result in

● Learning disabilities● Behavioral problems● Mental retardation● Seizures, coma and even death in extremely high levels (70 or higher)

Lead Poisoning Prevention strategiesScreening, Family and community education.

● Environmental standards in removing lead from gasoline, paint, and plumbing.

● Water treatment and removing lead solder from food cans.

● Prevent children from playing in bare soil; if possible, provide them with sandboxes.

● Reducing lead-based paint hazards in children’s homes.

Firearm Safety● According to DeFillippis and Hughes( 2014), American children younger than

15 are nine times more likely to die by a gun than those in the rest of the developed world. (p.1).

● Children with access of firearm also have higher rates of accidental gun death● Guns in the home are 22 more likely to be involved in accidental shooting.● Boys are more likely to be involved in the firearm injury or death than girls.

Firearm Safety - Prevention ● According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the best way to keep your

child or teen safe from gun injury or death, is to never have a gun in your home, especially not a handgun.

● Keep the gun locked● Keep the gun unloaded● Store the ammunition locked● Store the ammunition in a separate place from the gun● Check with your local police for advice about safe storage and gun locks.● When handling or cleaning a gun, never leave it unattended, not even for a

moment.● Teach your children never to touch guns. Make sure they know that guns can

be dangerous.

Kitchen Safety

The kitchen can be a very dangerous place for children. Potential threats include flames, boiling liquids, knives, and cleaning products.

● In 2013 126,035 children in the United States were injured due to burns or scalds (Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016).

● 54% of home fires start in the kitchen (National Fire Protection Association, 2015).

● Cleaning products are commonly stored under the kitchen sink within easy reach for children.

● The kitchen typically contains electrical appliances and multiple electric outlets, increasing the risk of electrocution.

Kitchen Safety- Prevention● Never leave children unattended in the kitchen. ● Always try to use the back burners of the stove whenever possible and turn pot handles towards the

back so children cannot grab them.● Consider purchasing childproof stove knob covers to prevent children from accidently turning on the

stovetop. ● Do not store knives or other sharp objects on the counter top. Keep them in a childproof drawer. ● Do not keep small magnets on the refrigerator as they can be a choking hazard. ● Store all cleaning products out of reach of children in childproof cabinets. Keep the poison control

phone number readily available in case of emergencies. 1-800-222-1222 ● Keep all electrical appliances unplugged when not in use to prevent electrocution.● Keep all plastic bags, plastic wrap, and foil out of reach of children as they can be a suffocation

hazard.

American Academy of Pediatrics, 2015

Car Safety SeatsIn 2011, more than 650 children age 12 years and younger died as occupants in motor vehicle crashes.

Using a car set correctly makes a big difference. Even the right seat for the child’s size must be used correctly to protect the child in a crash/accident.

● There are different types of car safety seats and the manufacturer’s guidelines need to be followed.● The toddler can be placed in an upright forward-facing position.

Car Safety Seats LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children): An attachment or anchor system that is in the vehicle and on the car safety seat that improves safety because it eliminates the need to use seat belts to secure the car seatbelts.

● A rear-facing car safety seat is never placed in the front seat of a vehicle because if the airbag inflates it will hit the back of the car safety seat (where the child’s head is) and cause serious injury.

● Make sure that the safety seat is installed tightly and that the seat is at the correct angle so that the infant’s head does not fall forward.

● The harness placed around the infant or child should be snug.● Infants should ride in a car in the semireclined, rear facing position in an-infant only seat or

convertible seat until they weigh at least 20 pounds and have reached at least 1 year of age (Convertible seats can be used rear-facing for infants and then converted to a forward-facing position once the child is old enough and big enough to do safely).

Source: Giardino, 2007

Bike Safety

Children should always wear a helmet when riding a bike, skateboarding, or skating- it’s the law!

● Bike helmets reduce brain injury by 88% and head injury by 85%. ● Adjusted and fasten the straps on the helmet to insure a snug fit.● Wear bright colored clothing and place reflectors on bike to be seen by drivers.● Always ride on the right hand side of the street in the same direction as traffic.● Children should avoid riding their bikes at dusk or at night. It can be difficult

to be seen by drivers at the time. ● Consider elbow pads and knee pads for young children just learning to ride a bike.● When learning to ride a bike both feet should touch the ground to help the child

keep their balance.

Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016

Playground Safety

● Always supervise children at the playground. Up to 45% of playground injuries could be prevented by proper supervision!

● 75% of playground injuries are caused by falls. ○ Choose playgrounds with rubber, synthetic turf, pea gravel, or mulch

to soften falls and prevent injury.

● Make sure playground equipment is used properly.○ For example, children should only sit on swings, not stand.

● Check the playground for any hazards such as broken glass, rusted metal, or sharp objects.

● Report any hazards to the proper authorities.

Source: Safe Kids Worldwide, 2016

References American Academy of Pediatrics. (2015). Kitchen safety. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/Pages/Kitchen-Safety.aspx

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Lead. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/publications/1997/factlead.htm

Giardino, A.P. (2007). Child Safety: A pediatric guide for parents, teachers, nurses, and caregivers. Retrieved from http://saferide4kids.com/the-stats/

Hughes, E. D. (2014). The Overwhelming Empirical Evidence That Guns Endanger Children. Retrieved from http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/medical_examiner/2014/06/gun_deaths_in_children_statistics_show_firearms_endanger_kids_despite_nra.html

National Fire Protection Agency. (2015). Cooking. Retrieved from http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/for-consumers/causes/cooking

Protecting children from gun violence. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Newtown-Anniversary.aspx?nfstatus=401

ReferencesSafe Kids Worldwide. (2016). Bike and helmet safety. Retrieved from http://www.safekids.org/bike-and-helmet-safety-policy-brief

Safe Kids Worldwide. (2016). Burns and scalds. Retrieved from https://www.safekids.org/safetytips/field_risks/burns-and-scalds

Safe Kids Worldwide. (2016). Playground safety tips. Retrieved from http://www.safekids.org/playgroundsafety

Safe Kids Worldwide. (2016). We work to prevent injuries in the home. Retrieved from http://www.safekids.org/we-work-prevent-injuries-home

University of Michigan Health System. (n.d.). Guns. Retrieved from http://www.med.umich.edu/yourchild/topics/guns.htm#tome