West County Pediatrics 16555 Manchester Road Wildwood, Missouri 63040 636-458-5858

SAFETY TIPS FOR THE 9 TO 12 YEAR OLD

As pediatricians, we are concerned about every aspect of your child’s health. Just as we help to prevent serious infections with immunizations, we can help to prevent serious accidents from harming your child.

CAR AND STREET SAFETY

When riding in the car make sure all passengers, including the driver, are using their seatbelt. The adults should set a good example. Never let your child ride in the bed of a truck. Being ejected from a car during a crash increase the chances of being killed 25 times. If your child rides the bus, teach them not to approach the bus until it is completely stopped and to cross the front of the bus only after making eye contact with the bus driver. Teach your child to stay in their seats while on the bus. Bicycling is great fun at this age but safety is very important. Buy a bike for your child that when they sit on the seat the balls of both their feet touch the ground. Make sure your child always wears a helmet with the ANSI or Snell approval rating. Your child should be allowed to ride in the street only after they have demonstrated good control of the bicycle and good judgment of traffic dangers. Teach your child the rules of the road: 1. RIDE WITH THE TRAFFIC. Riding against traffic confuses drivers and leads to 25% of all bicycle-car collisions. 2. STOP AND LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE ENTERING THE STREET. 3. STOP AT ALL INTERSECTIONS AND LOOK BOTH WAYS BEFORE PROCEEDING. 4. WHEN TURNING LOOK BOTH WAYS AND USE HAND SIGNALS. If you cannot give hand signals and control your bike it is not safe to ride in the street. Teach your child to assume that drivers do not see them and they should make eye contact with a driver, who then signals them to go, before riding in front of a car. Do not allow your child to ride after dark. Have them call you for a ride home if they are at a friends house with their bike after dusk. If your child rides a skateboard or rollerblades make sure they are equipped with the appropriate safety gear such as a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads and wrist guards.

BURN PREVENTION

Make sure smoke alarms are installed on each floor of your home and replace the batteries yearly. Have a family escape plan in case of a fire and teach your child to STOP, DROP, and ROLL if their clothing is ever on fire. Teach your child the rules of what to do in case of a fire: 1. Leave the building immediately. 2. If there is smoke, crawl out on the floor and breathe through a wet towel if possible. 3. If a door is closed test to see if it is hot before opening it. 4. Never stop to get dressed, save a pet or put out the fire. and 5. Go to a neighbor to call 911 and get help. Fireworks, including sparklers, are potentially dangerous at any age. Do not allow your child to use them without close, strict supervision by a responsible adult. Teach your child to never touch downed electrical wires or power lines. Remind them to never climb telephone poles or trees with electrical wires running through their limbs. Remember to fly kites away from possible contact with power lines. Teach your child the danger of operating electrical appliances such as hair dryers, curling irons and radios in or near water such as a pool or bath tub. Also remind them that they shouldn’t plug anything in with wet hands.

WATER SAFETY

Safety in the water is important at all ages. Teaching your child how to swim is valuable. Make sure there is an adult present with your child, when swimming, who knows how to swim and can perform CPR if necessary. Do not let your child use inflatable toys or mattresses in water that is too deep for them if they are not proficient swimmers. Teach your child to jump or dive in only in water known to be deep enough that they won’t hit the bottom. Children should always wear a life vest on a boat or when playing in a river or stream. Teach your child to never walk on a frozen pond or lake without having an adult check to see if the ice is thick enough first. Supervision is the key to water safety.

GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES

There are several other areas to put safety into practice with your child. Teach your child to avoid strange dogs especially when they are eating. Do not allow your child to ride on riding lawnmowers or an ATV with you until they are 12 to 14 years and demonstrate understanding of potential dangers of the equipment. Children should not use a push mower until they are 11 or older and can demonstrate understanding of the potential dangers of lawn mowers. Have them wear protective eyewear when using a mower or other power equipment. If you have guns in your home, keep them unloaded and in a locked location. Teach your young child to tell an adult if they find a gun and to not touch the gun. Keep outdoor play equipment over soft grass, wood chips, sand or other soft material to protect against falls. Keep liquor in a locked cabinet or storage area. Teach your children to not accept rides or gifts from strangers or to tell people on the telephone that they are home alone. When your child plays sports make sure they have the appropriate safety equipment on. Finally, if you have the opportunity, take a CPR class.

This handout is a list of suggestions only and is not meant to cover every possible safety hazard. Children at these ages have a wide range of abilities and maturity. Only you can judge what is appropriate for your child. Your child will begin to spend more time at others homes and without your direct supervision. Make sure other caretakers are aware of your rules and be aware that other homes may have safety concerns, such as guns, that your home does not. If you have any questions regarding the information in this handout or safety in general, please feel free to call the office.