Safe KIDS Tulsa

Keeping Kids SAFE

It’s not yet summer, but from the looks of most neighborhoods, you’d never know. Whether on their bikes, scooters or just fishing at local creeks and ponds, kids of all ages have come outside to play. “Since schools are closed and many parents are now working from home due to the coronavirus, we’ve been seeing a whole new dynamic,” says Beth Washington, coordinator, SAFE Kids Tulsa.

As kids have more free time at home in the weeks ahead, and as parents juggle supervising the kids with working from home, childhood injuries are likely to increase. “It’s been an adjustment for many families. Instead of both parents trying to work at the same time, they might consider making a shift schedule so that one parent is always ‘on duty’ and paying attention to what the kids are up to,” said Washington.

SAFE Kids Tulsa offers the following precautions to help keep your kids safe while they are home from school:

Bikes: • The best way to prevent severe head injuries is to ensure your child wears a properly fitted bike helmet. • Make sure your child rides on the sidewalk whenever possible.

If not, ride in the same direction as traffic as far on the right-hand side as possible. • Teach your child to use hand signals and follow the rules of the road. • Make sure your child wears bright colors and uses lights when riding at night and in the morning. Reflectors on clothing and bikes will help them be seen. • Ride with your children. Stick together until you are comfortable that your kids are ready to ride on their own.

While Out of School

Around water: • Watch kids when they are in or around water, without being distracted. Keep young children within arm’s reach of an adult.

Make sure older children swim with a partner every time. • Teach children how to swim. Every child is different, so enroll children in swim lessons when they become available. • Make sure kids learn these five water survival skills and that they are able to: • step or jump into water over their heads and return to the surface; • float or tread water for one minute; • turn around in a full circle and find an exit; • swim 25 yards to exit the water; and • if in a pool, be able to exit without using the ladder.

• Teach children that swimming in open water is not the same as swimming in a pool. They need to be aware of uneven surfaces, river currents, undertow and changing weather. • Know what to do in an emergency. Learning CPR and basic water rescue skills may help you save a child’s life.

“The whole idea is to make sure someone is always supervising our kids because nothing keeps them as safe as when our eyes are on them,” Washington says.

SAFE Kids Tulsa also advises parents and caregivers about the importance of childproofing homes; ensuring all medicines are out of reach and that the Poison Control Center phone number (800-222-1222) is included in accessible contacts.”

For more information about keeping kids safe, please visit safekids.org.