National Safety Month:: Tips for Moms on Keeping Kids Safe

Did you know June is National Safety Month? Me neither! It gets MUCH less hype than National Rosé Day, National Donut Day and obviously, National Pop Goes the Weasel Day {a real thing, I checked}.  And arguably our safety and the safety of our kids is way more important than weasels. But don’t worry ladies, I am here to help! Let’s get safe for the summer, shall we?

Emergency Preparedness

Being prepared for emergencies isn’t just for hurricanes {though you should have a hurricane kit ready to go}. Do you know child {under age 9} CPR? Did you even know it is different than performing CPR on an adult? Below is a super helpful chart from the National Safety Council, but if you really want to be trained, check out the Red Cross for trainings in your area.

National Safety Month:: Tips for Moms on Keeping Kids Safe | Houston Moms Blog

Driving

Every seven seconds someone is injured in a car crash and every 15 minutes someone is killed in one. With as much as we moms drive, we owe it to ourselves and our kids to be as prepared as possible when we are in the car. Here are some ways to protect yourself::

  • Always wear your seatbelt AND insist your kids to do. I know we have been talking about this for YEARS but as my kids get older I get a lot of flack {from them} to not wear a seat belt going around the neighborhood. The stats are too staggering for me to let that happen. {More than half of the 23,000 people who died in car crashes in 2015 were un-restrained} As much as I want the whining to stop, I have to stay strong.
  • Have your booster seats and car seats checked by a professional. Texas Children’s Hospital says that 4 out of 5 car seats are installed or used wrong. Eeek! Make an appointment here to get yours checked out. I did and it was quick, easy and now I feel very smug. You can too!
  • Have a teen driver? Car crashes are the #1 cause of death for teens. Double eeek. Drive it Home is a great resource for parents and teens to work through together to keep our older babies safe.

National Safety Month:: Tips for Moms on Keeping Kids Safe | Houston Moms Blog

Heat

With as hot as Houston is getting, it pays to know a bit about heatstroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.

Heatstroke– Heatstroke can occur when the ability to sweat fails and body temperature rises quickly. The brain and vital organs are effectively “cooked” as body temperature rises to a dangerous level in a matter of minutes. Someone experiencing heatstroke will have extremely hot skin, and an altered mental state, ranging from slight confusion to coma. Treat it by calling 911 immediately, applying ice to neck and armpits and not giving anything to drink.

Heat Exhaustion – When the body loses an excessive amount of salt and water, heat exhaustion can set in. Symptoms are similar to those of the flu and can include severe thirst, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting and, sometimes, diarrhea. Other symptoms include profuse sweating, clammy or pale skin, dizziness, rapid pulse and normal or slightly elevated body temperature. This can lead to heatstroke so quickly move inside, give them cool water and apply wet towels to cool them down.

Heat Cramps – Heat cramps are muscle spasms that usually affect the legs or abdominal muscles, often after physical activity. Excessive sweating reduces salt levels in the body, which can result in heat cramps. Do the same things for heat cramps as for heat exhaustion to ease the pain.

Pool Safety

I was hesitatant to go here because it always bums me out and terrifies me at the same time {selfish, I know}. But after seeing my friend jump into the water to save a child last summer, I know we all need to be reminded of water safety. Here are six safety tips from the Pool Safely organization.

  • Never leave a child unattended – even for a moment
  • Teach children how to swim
  • Teach children to stay away from pool drains
  • Ensure all pools and spas have compliant drain covers {this is new info}
  • Install proper barriers, covers and alarms on and around your pool and spa {fences like this ensure kids cannot get in easily}
  • Know how to perform CPR

National Safety Month:: Tips for Moms on Keeping Kids Safe | Houston Moms Blog

The National Safety Council has many more tips for Summer safety; check them out here.

Stay safe friends!

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Kinsey
Kinsey is a native Texan originally from Denton, but left as soon as she could {no offense to Denton; other people should totally live there}. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in elementary education, she taught first grade for a hot minute. She quickly learned that her passion was actually telling adults what to do, and thus realized a career in marketing and event planning was a much better match. She married Alex in 2005, who legitimately thinks Houston is the best city in the world, which means she is here forever. She worked until 2013 when she retired (and refuses to say she is unemployed). Together they have two boys, Zachary {December 2008} and James {July 2011} which means she spends every afternoon, evening, Saturday, and many Sundays sitting at a field or court for whatever sport is being played at that particular moment and fending off snack requests. Also that she’s on a first name basis with the workers at Chick-fil-A. Hi Debra! Follow Kinsey on Instagram @makejokesnotmoney.

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