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Injury prevention for kids
Regions Hospital’s trauma staff is active in educating the public about injury prevention. Our children’s safety program Traumaroo helps kids develop safe behavior patterns. Through our Think First Program, young people are taught about risk-taking behaviors that can lead to head and spinal cord injuries.
Learn about preventing burn injuries.
We are also involved in many other trauma prevention efforts including pedestrian safety, adolescent drinking and driving, fire prevention and seat belt education.
Children are especially at risk for injuries, so it’s important that adults know how to respond in case of an injury. Here are some tips on preventing injuries to children.
- To prevent falls, never leave a child alone — even for a second — on a changing table, bed, other furniture or playground equipment.
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs, especially basement stairs, and keep the basement door closed. Do not use a pressure-mounted gate at the top of the stairs because babies can push them out. Use a hardware-mounted gate instead.
- Use the safety straps in grocery carts and other infant equipment.
- Keep your child away from open windows even if screens are on them.
- Properly lock high chair trays and always buckle your child in tightly.
- Teach children not to jump on beds and couches.
Motor vehicle crashes
- Correctly secure your baby in an approved car seat for every car ride. Babies under one year of age must ride in a rear-facing car seat to support their necks. Babies facing forward are at risk of spinal injury.
- According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), toddlers should remain in a rear-facing convertible car seat until they have reached the maximum height and weight recommended for the model or at least the age of two.
- Car seats should be used until your child is 40 pounds or about four years old. After this, your child should use a booster seat. A child who is both under the age of eight and shorter than 4’ 9” is required to be fastened in a child safety seat or booster seat that meets federal safety standards. (MN Department of Public Safety P1-187-6109)
- The back seat is the safest place for all babies and children. This is extremely important if your car has a passenger-side airbag so that your child is not injured or killed if the airbag expands in a crash.
- Regions Hospital offers free car seat clinics. Please call 651-357-2798 for information on upcoming clinics.
Accidental cuts and bites
- Do not leave your child alone with pets that could bite or scratch.
- Keep sharp items such as scissors, knives and razors out of the reach of your child.
Teach bike safety when your child sits in a bike seat or carrier or starts to use a tricycle or bike. Insist that your child wear a helmet every time he or she goes for a ride. If your child falls from a bike, a helmet will reduce risk of a brain injury by 85 percent.
If your child sustains an injury
If your child is bleeding, apply pressure to the wound and seek medical attention at the nearest emergency center. If your child has a serious fall — such as falling from stairs, a swing or a tree — he or she may have a spinal injury. Don’t move the child and call 911.
Store all cleaning supplies, vitamins, insect and weed sprays, medicines and cosmetics in locked cabinets that are out of reach. Make sure you do not have poisonous plants around. Have Syrup of Ipecac on hand to induce vomiting. Always call the Poison Control Center for instructions before giving the Ipecac.
Contact the Poison Control Center to get information about which things are poisonous or in case of emergency.
- 800-764-7661 for Minnesota
- 800-815-8855 for Wisconsin
To inquire about our injury prevention programs, please call the Injury Prevention Coordinator, Shonette Doggett, at 651-254-7789.