Written by Rebecca Budde, SIU School of Medicine

Patios, picnics and pools have replaced homework as summer is in full swing. But with summer comes a higher risk of injuries, especially for children.

According to SIU emergency medicine physician Dr. Ted Clark, around 20% of emergency room visits involve patients age 17 and younger, and the ER doctors tend to see more of these patients in the summer. “We refer to this time of year as ‘trauma season’ in the ER; typically it’s May through August.” Summer sports and activities such as biking, swimming and camping can lead to broken bones, lacerations, sprains, concussions, dehydration, rashes and burns.

“It’s tempting to keep the kids inside to protect them from all these possible injuries, but I encourage parents to allow their children to be outside and to play,” Dr. Clark says. “In the long run, avoiding the sedentary lifestyle is going to do a lot more for a child’s health than the short-term risk of injury.”

Copyright SIU School of Medicine, Springfield, Illinois