Norton Children’s Medical Group gives safety tips for summer season

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With the summer season fast approaching and Memorial Day weekend almost upon us, it’s time to start thinking about how to protect ourselves from many different injuries.

“This time of year is called trauma season, and it’s because we have a higher percentage, if you look over the whole year, of unintentional injuries in children. It’s about 40% of the injuries in children occur between the months of May through August. Most of those children who have the unintentional injuries are under the age of 1 is the highest age group,” Dr. Kelly Kries, a pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group, says.

While everyone is gearing up for the fun in store, doctors say this time of year is where they see the most injuries in kids.

If you’re hitting the pool this summer, Kries says to do a few things to prepare for the water.

“Designate someone to watch smaller children or those who cannot swim. If you are an older adolescent, you need to have a swimming partner or you need to have a swimming buddy. Even adults need to have that as well,” she says.

Even if you’re not diving in, it’s still important to protect yourself from the sun.

“Getting a good SPF, I would think 50 or more, especially young children is important, and the most crucial times are from 10 to 2,” Kries says.

Before you start preparing for that Memorial Day cookout, it’s important to make sure your hands are clean as well.

“Sometimes, even before you prepare the food, make sure your hands are clean… but then once you get to perhaps a picnic area, having something to clean your hands with before you handle the food, any temperature, I think it’s between 40 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees is called what we call the danger zone, and at that time, if the food is left out for more than an hour, it can be contaminated or rather bacteria can overgrow, which can be dangerous to you,” Kries says.