SAN ANTONIO – While parents are working from home, they’re also trying to keep their cooped up kids injury-free and out of the emergency room (ER).
“The kids are getting a little bit more creative in how they’re playing around here, especially when it rains,” said Elyse Everett, mom to two energetic kids.
Her daughter sprained her ankle, and her son chipped his tooth.
“My worst fear is having to go the ER,” Everett said.
Some ERs across the country have reported seeing more children in recent weeks due to bike, scooter or fall-related injuries.
Serious injuries do require an ER visit, even during the pandemic. But to keep kids safe and out of the ER, Consumer Reports suggests starting with keeping a schedule.
“If you have a routine for everyone going outside and getting some exercise each day, then your child will less likely to be bouncing off the walls later in the day and hurt themselves,” said Rachel Rabkin Peachman, with Consumer Reports.
Next, Consumer Reports says you should minimize new hazards and think carefully about buying a new trampoline or hover board to keep the kids busy and entertained.
”Do you have the energy to establish rules around the use of that product and are you going to be able to supervise your child while using that product?” Peachman said.
Chances are you have extra cleaning and disinfecting supplies on hand, and those need to be stored out of the reach of children. That includes hand sanitizers, which contain a lot of alcohol.
Since March, calls to Poison Control Centers related to hand sanitizer have skyrocketed, and the majority of those calls were for children under the age of 5.
Furniture, particularly dressers, bookcases and cabinets, should be anchored to the wall to prevent dangerous tip-overs.
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