Member News Releases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 16, 2010
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325)
Make Sure Summertime is Safety Time
According to the Safe Kids USA organization, each year more children between the ages 1 and 4 years die from unintentional injuries than from all childhood diseases combined. An overwhelming majority of these fatalities occur in the home. As children play outside during the summer months, Silver Cross Hospital would like to remind families with young children of helpful summertime safety tips.
“Parents and caregivers need to be extra vigilant in keeping children safe and healthy this summer,” Dr. Daniel Checco, Medical Director for the Silver Cross Free-Standing Emergency Care Center in Homer Glen. “After being cooped up inside all winter, children at every age are excited to run and play outside, but it’s important to monitor your kids and review safety tips with them and their caregivers.”
Dr. Checco offers the following prevention tips to help make this summer a happy and safe one for your children.
Burns: Keep babies younger than six months old out of direct sunlight. For all other children, use a sunscreen made for kids, with a SPF of at least 15 although SPF 50 is preferred. Sunscreen must be reapplied every one to two hours, even if it says it is waterproof. Skin retains lifelong memory of any sunburn. Make sure children wear hats and sunglasses. Whenever a fire is lit and children are near, an adult should be watching. Screen grills so children can’t touch them.
Insect Bites: Insect repellents used on children should contain no more than 10 percent of a chemical called DEET. Watch for allergic reactions or infections. Avoid scratching and keep kids nail trimmed.
Drowning: Surround swimming pools with a fence at least five feet high. Do not let children play around any water—unless an adult is watching from poolside.
Sports Safety: Children should wear appropriate safety gear when engaging in sports. Helmets are important. Simple concussions can have long-term sequels. Skaters should skate in a rink, rather than on a street. Don’t let a child ride a bike that is too big.
Street Safety: Children shouldn’t play unattended near traffic. Generally, children younger than age five should not cross the street by themselves, but may depend on level of maturity and impulsivity.
Falls: Install window guards on windows located on the ground floor and higher. Move furniture away from windows. Frequent falling needs to be evaluated by a physician. Use stairway guards and avoid the use of infant walkers. Never have infants sleep in beds or place infant carriers on tables.
Fireworks: Attend firework displays rather than purchasing fireworks for home use.
If your child needs medical attention this summer, Dr. Daniel Checco and the rest of Silver Cross Hospital’s board certified emergency medicine physicians and nurses are ready to assist you and your family at The Silver Cross Free-Standing Emergency Care Center located at 143rd St. and Bell Rd in Homer Glen. The Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
About the Silver Cross Free-Standing Emergency Care Center Patients can check ER wait times—if any at www.silvercross.org for both the Homer Glen Free-Standing Emergency Care Center as well as Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet.
The Silver Cross Health Center also provides laboratory services and state-of-the-art diagnostic imaging services including: MRI, CT, X-ray, Ultrasound and EKGs. And there are several physician offices including a pediatrician, podiatrist, spine and colorectal surgeons, urologists, cardiologists, and family practice physicians. For more information, call(708) 364-6337.
About Silver Cross Hospital
Silver Cross Hospital is a not-for-profit health care provider serving Will County and southwest suburban communities since 1895. Silver Cross has been recognized as a Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals National Award winner for the last six consecutive years and as one of America’s Most Customer Friendly Hospitals by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers. With over 2,500 employees, physicians and volunteers, Silver Cross operates a 304-bed acute care hospital and eight satellite facilities providing outpatient services and physician offices. Construction has begun to build a state-of-the-art replacement hospital opening in 2012 in New Lenox. To learn more about Silver Cross Hospital or a referral to a physician on staff, visit www.silvercross.org or call 1-888-660-HEAL (4325).
