tidewaterreview.com

Join us at noon CT (1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) on Tuesday, May 24, for an hour-long chat about how to keep kids healthy during the upcoming summer, with Chicago Tribune health reporter Deborah L. Shelton, and panelists Dr. Ken Polin and Andrea Garces.

For kids, summer is the time for splashing in the pool, running through open fields and enjoying warm breezes while gazing out an open window. But if safety is not kept in mind, those pleasurable activities--and many others--can lead to injury, illness or even death.

Dr. Ken Polin has been with one of the largest pediatric practices in the area, Town and Country Pediatrics, for 23 years. He and his colleagues treat more than 30,000 children a year. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.


Andrea M. Garces is Director of Safe Kids Illinois at Children's Memorial Hospital. Safe Kids Illinois is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations with a mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury, a leading cause of death and disability for children ages 14 and under. Garces educates communities on injury prevention initiatives including child passenger safety, home safety, summer safety, fire safety, poison prevention, and bike/pedestrian safety.

If you are unable to make the chat, or would like to send your question in advance, e-mail Deborah Shelton at dshelton@tribune.com.

Health Chat: Children's summertime safety

(05/24/2011)

  

Close

11:57

Deborah L. Shelton:  The live web chat on summertime safety tips will be starting shortly. Thank you for joining us. Please stand by. Tuesday May 24, 2011 11:57 Deborah L. Shelton

11:59

Deborah L. Shelton:  Hi everyone! Welcome to this hour-long chat about how to keep children healthy during the upcoming summer. I am your moderator health reporter Deborah Shelton. We are taking your questions live. You can start submitting your questions now. Tuesday May 24, 2011 11:59 Deborah L. Shelton

11:59

Deborah L. Shelton:  Joining us today are guest experts Dr. Ken Polin and Andrea Garces. First, Dr. Ken Polin has been with one of the largest pediatric practices in the area, Town and Country Pediatrics, for 23 years. He and his colleagues treat more than 30,000 children a year. He is board-certified in emergency medicine and is an assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Tuesday May 24, 2011 11:59 Deborah L. Shelton

12:00

Ken Polin,MD:  Thank you for giving me the opportunity to participate and answer questions posed by your viewers. I am currently in the practice of Pedistrics exclusively and that is my current board certification. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:00 Ken Polin,MD

12:01

Deborah L. Shelton:  Andrea M. Garces is Director of Safe Kids Illinois at Children's Memorial Hospital. Safe Kids Illinois is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations with a mission of preventing unintentional childhood injury, a leading cause of death and disability for children ages 14 and under. Ms. Garces educates communities on injury prevention initiatives including child passenger safety, home safety, summer safety, fire safety, poison prevention, and bike/pedestrian safety. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:01 Deborah L. Shelton

12:01

Andrea Garces:  It’s a pleasure to be here today. Thanks so much for having me! Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:01 Andrea Garces

12:03

Deborah L. Shelton:  Let's start with a question from Kim that came in early. I have four children (ages 10, 8, and 3) who love to go to our crowded, park district pool. The older three have been in swimming lessons since they were 3 years old. Last year they ventured away from me and swam mostly in the 5 foot depth while I stayed near the 3 year old in the shallow parts of the pool. The life guards are high school aged kids and have been trained well in my opinion. I would like to know at what age do you recommend autonomy at the pool? I am pretty laid back, but I don't want that to be a detriment. I'd love more tips for keeping them safe and happy at the pool. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:03 Deborah L. Shelton

12:03

Deborah L. Shelton:  Thank you for your question Kim. Pool safety is a big concern for many parents. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:03 Deborah L. Shelton

12:04

Ken Polin,MD:  I think that the key relates to the maturity and responsibility level of the individual child as well as the skill and density of the guards present. This of course is never a substitute for good parental judgement. Remember that the more kids present, the harder it is to watch each one. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:04 Ken Polin,MD

12:05

Andrea Garces:  That is a great question. Parents should always actively supervise children in and around water. A startling fact is that nearly 9 out of 10 fatal events occur during a brief lapse in supervision, a child can drown in a matter of seconds. Four-sided isolation fencing around home pools could prevent 50-90% of childhood drownings and near-drownings. Anti-entrapment devices can protect against a child becoming entrapped on the drain of a pool or spa. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:05 Andrea Garces

12:06

Deborah L. Shelton:  Is there an age when kids should be in some sort of inflatable? And do those things actually prevent kids from drowning? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:06 Deborah L. Shelton

12:07

Ken Polin,MD:  The use of "floatees" can give a false sense of security. There is no certification on them and they are often poorly made and therefore, not reliable. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:07 Ken Polin,MD

12:08

Andrea Garces:  Life jackets, or PFDs, are effective safety devices that can help keep children from drowning while in, on, or around open water. Educational efforts focused on PFDs and safe boating practices are also effective in increasing PFD usage. Here is a video from Safe Kids that also has additional information about drowning prevention http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/drowning/drowning-prevention-is-so-important.html Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:08 Andrea Garces

12:09

Deborah L. Shelton:  What are some of the most common summertime hazards? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:09 Deborah L. Shelton

12:10

Andrea Garces:  Unintentional injuries and deaths of children ages 0-14 tend to increase in the summertime, as summer weather brings children outdoors more often, time away from school, and family vacations, but these injuries and deaths are preventable. There are 5 main summer safety risk areas that cause the majority of unintentional child injury deaths in the summer, between May and August. These are: Drowning (up 89% over the annual monthly average); Bicycle and wheeled sports injuries (up 45%); Falls (up 21%); Motor-vehicle related injuries (up 20%); and Pedestrian injuries (up 16%). Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:10 Andrea Garces

12:10

Ken Polin,MD:  Also consider other issues such as Sun related issues, insect bites and their complications, and heat related issues including dehydration. These may be of greater concern when participating in sports. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:10 Ken Polin,MD

12:12

Deborah L. Shelton:  Are some children more at risk of drowning? Are these the little kids? Or the older, more confident ones? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:12 Deborah L. Shelton

12:13

Andrea Garces:  Children ages 4 and under have the highest drowning death rate (two times greater than other age groups) and account for 80 percent of home drownings. Male children have a drowning rate twice that of female children. Black children ages 5 to 14 have a drowning rate three times that of their white counterparts. Also, low-income children are at greater risk from non-swimming pool drownings. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:13 Andrea Garces

12:13

Ken Polin,MD:  Teens are also at great risk when alcohol and other substances may cloud judgement. This can be worse when watercraft are involved. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:13 Ken Polin,MD

12:15

Deborah L. Shelton:  Tell us more about injuries from falls. What kind of falls? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:15 Deborah L. Shelton

12:17

Andrea Garces:  Sure, window falls have consistently peaked during the summer months. With warmer weather, families are opening their windows but need to follow some important safety tips. These include: - Follow the 4 inch rule - never open windows more than 4 inches - Remember, screens keep bugs out, not kids in - Keep chairs, cribs, and other furniture away from windows, and install window guards on all windows above the first floor. - Don't allow children to play on balconies, roofs, or near open windows without a window guard or stop. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:17 Andrea Garces

12:18

Ken Polin,MD:  Also remember that children should be secured in appropriate restraint devises to keep them safe in cars and prevent falls out of car windows. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:18 Ken Polin,MD

12:19

Deborah L. Shelton:  I'm surprised to see insect bites on the list of top summertime hazards. What kind of insects, and what kind of problems do they cause? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:19 Deborah L. Shelton

12:22

Ken Polin,MD:  Insect bites usually are a nusance but there can be complications including secondary infections of the skin and infections spread through the insect bites such as Lyme disease Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:22 Ken Polin,MD

12:22

< Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:22

12:25

Deborah L. Shelton:  Every summer you hear these really sad stories about parents forgetting their kids in the car. How does that happen? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:25 Deborah L. Shelton

12:26

Ken Polin,MD:  This is an example of a completely preventable. The assumption that there is a safe maximum time is not true because parents get distracted. Children are not physically able to withstand the very high temperatures that may reach as high as 150 degrees. This can cause death or severe other consequences. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:26 Ken Polin,MD

12:27

Andrea Garces:  It's important to remind parents to never leave their child alone in a car, not even for one minute. Last year was the highest number of heat related vehicular deaths (49) since records have been kept in 1998. A child's body does not have the same internal temperature control as an adult's and can warm three times to five times faster. Even with relatively cool temperatures outside, the inside of a car can reach a dangerous temperature in just minutes. It may be helpful to leave your phone, bag, or purse in the backseat as a reminder to always check the back seat for any children. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:27 Andrea Garces

12:27

Deborah L. Shelton:  Our experts are taking your questions live. You can submit them at any time. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:27 Deborah L. Shelton

12:28

Deborah L. Shelton:  Let's talk about sun-related problems. I would think that parents are well aware of these kinds of problems. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:28 Deborah L. Shelton

12:30

Ken Polin,MD:  Often we will discuss risks of sun especially with respect to the short term issue such as burns and the longer term risk of skin cancers and how they are preventable with appropriate sun blocks and re-applications of these. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:30 Ken Polin,MD

12:31

Ken Polin,MD:  If sunburn occurs, it is an inflammatory process and in my experience, ibuprofen is very helpful as well as if the burn is extensive, check with your healthcare provider for additional individual advise. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:31 Ken Polin,MD

12:32

Ken Polin,MD:  Remember that ibuprofen is only approved above six months of age. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:32 Ken Polin,MD

12:33

Deborah L. Shelton:  Kids love to ride their bikes during the summer. How can parents reduce bike injuries? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:33 Deborah L. Shelton

12:33

Andrea Garces:  A properly fitted helmet is the single most effective safety device for reducing the severity of head injuries and the likelihood of death following a bicycle or wheeled sport crash. Teach your child the rules of the road including obeying all traffic laws, and encourage all caregivers to be role models by wearing helmets. This is a helpful video to make sure your child's helmet is properly fitted - http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/bicycling-and-skating/helmet-fit-test-video.html Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:33 Andrea Garces

12:33

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]  What about sunglasses for infants? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:33 Guest

12:34

Deborah L. Shelton:  Thank you for the question. I never heard of infant sunglasses! Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:34 Deborah L. Shelton

12:35

Ken Polin,MD:  Infant sunglasses are often poorly made and though block visible light, do not block UV light, resulting in more exposure of the sensitive retina to UV light by dilating the pupil and maybe doing more harm than good. Keeping infants shaded and shielded is better. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:35 Ken Polin,MD

12:37

Deborah L. Shelton:  The other day there was a tragedy about a man mistakenly backing his SUV over a child. We hear about these kinds of cases from time to time. How can people avoid doing that? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:37 Deborah L. Shelton

12:40

Andrea Garces:  Backover injuries are tragic and always preventable. To prevent backover injuries, make sure drivers walk around their vehicles before driving to make sure that there are no children or other objects around the vehicle. Also, make sure adults and young children are firmly holding hands when walking near moving vehicles and when in driveways. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:40 Andrea Garces

12:41

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]  Are DEET repellents safe for children? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:41 Guest

12:41

Ken Polin,MD:  The DEET is an insect repellant that is effective but at high doses may be neuro toxic. The current recommendation is at about 20% with the warning not to use with infants and when used avoid the face and bathe after the exposure is over. This increased concentration recommendation came about after diseases such as Lyme and some others as West Nile have appeared in our area. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:41 Ken Polin,MD

12:41

[Comment From KimKim: ]  What about wearing helmets while on scooters? Is it necessary? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:41 Kim

12:42

Deborah L. Shelton:  Thank you for the question. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:42 Deborah L. Shelton

12:42

Ken Polin,MD:  Helmets are critical for scooters as well as motor cycles. This is a significant cause of death and injury when a person on one of these goes up against a car. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:42 Ken Polin,MD

12:44

Ken Polin,MD:  Also play scooters need helmets as a child's head against a sidewalk is a potential disaster. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:44 Ken Polin,MD

12:44

[Comment From GuestGuest: ]  What sunscreen do you recommend for children? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:44 Guest

12:46

Ken Polin,MD:  Any sunscreen for children is usually effective. It may be first tested on the inside of the forearm for safety. It is best to avoid the chemical PABA asa an active agent and the best and safest use titanium oxide as the blocking agent. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:46 Ken Polin,MD

12:47

[Comment From DenaDena: ]  I'm not sure if this was asked, but do you have to put sunscreen on a baby that is younger than 6 months? If so how much? Thanks! Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:47 Dena

12:48

Ken Polin, MD:  Studies from arizona have suggested that in infants younger than six months are good candidates for sunscreen but it is best to avoid the face around the mouth and hands due to possible injestion. Again, shade and shield is a good policy. No specific age exists. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:48 Ken Polin, MD

12:50

Deborah L. Shelton:  Dr. Polin, you wanted to discuss heat exhaustion and dehydration. What are some of the issues with those? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:50 Deborah L. Shelton

12:51

Ken Polin, MD:  It is important to recognize that children are distracted easily and lose awareness of their surroundings. This can lead to heat exhaustion as well as dehydration. Parents should both "Pre-hydrate" and have frequent water breaks to prevent this. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:51 Ken Polin, MD

12:53

Deborah L. Shelton:  When is it OK for children to cross the street on their own? Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:53 Deborah L. Shelton

12:55

Andrea Garces:  Children should be at least 10 years old to cross the street on their own. With children out of school and crossing streets without the help of crossing guards or adults, it is no surprise that they are at higher risk of being injured by motor vehicles in the summer months. Children are at high risk of pedestrian injuries because they are impulsive and have difficulty judging speed, spatial relationships and distance, and cannot reliably do so until they are at least 10 years old. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:55 Andrea Garces

12:55

Andrea Garces:  It's important to teach children proper pedestrian behavior, such as crossing the street at a corner, using traffic signals or crosswalks whenever possible. Instruct children to look left, right and left again when crossing a street and to continue looking as they cross. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:55 Andrea Garces

12:58

Andrea Garces:  Here is a helpful link to find more resources about unintentional injury prevention by risk area. It includes information on other risks areas that are outside of the 5 main summer safety risk areas as well. http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/ Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:58 Andrea Garces

12:58

Deborah L. Shelton:  Thank you for the information! The links are really helpful. Reminder, this chat will be archived and available for future reading. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:58 Deborah L. Shelton

12:59

Deborah L. Shelton:  Thank you both for joining us for this hour-long web chat. Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:59 Deborah L. Shelton

12:59

Ken Polin, MD:  I want everyone to have a fun and safe summer. Thank you all Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:59 Ken Polin, MD

12:59

Andrea Garces:  Thank you so much for having me in this chat! Have a wonderful summer! Tuesday May 24, 2011 12:59 Andrea Garces

1:00	Deborah L. Shelton:  Come back next week for Julie Deardorff's web chat on "nature-deficit disorder." It's Tuesday, May 31 at noon CDT. Tuesday May 24, 2011 1:00 Deborah L. Shelton

1:01	Deborah L. Shelton:  Thanks everyone! Have a great day! Tuesday May 24, 2011 1:01 Deborah L. Shelton

1:01