Child Injuries and Injury Prevention

We are all facing more time at home—and therefore the risk of home injury. While you would normally be gearing up for kid activities or sports, now you are forced to entertain at home…yikes. Child home safety, and the injuries that can occur, is even more difficult with no break in sight. You may be shouting, “Get me out of here!” Here are a few reminders and what kinds of orthopedic foot and ankle injuries can occur while staying at home.

For the young ones, it is often all hands on deck. Constant monitoring is needed. Falls from standing can occur, but often, injuries requiring medical evaluation are from a height. Stairs are particularly dangerous while everyone is forced into be in the house. Stairs are one of the most common mechanisms of injury I see for ankle fractures in adults. Here are some tips for those parents:

• Use baby gates for age appropriate children
• Do no leave object on the stairs
• Make sure there is adequate lighting for ascending and descending stairs

Kids are active at home now more than ever. Trampolines are increasingly common to pass time. In 2018, 30,000 injuries were treated, and this is likely to increase. In the leg, ankle sprains are one of the most common injuries reported from trampolines, but we have seen fractures and other injuries requiring surgery, too. Safe usage is meant to curtail these injuries:

• One child at a time is safest
• Child must be at least 6 years old
• Ensure equipment is working and maintained
• Adult supervision is recommended

Playground equipment is also a hot spot for children injuries. Falls are the most common and severe injury seen by medical personnel. Slides also are precarious when an adult takes a child with them. The leg of the child can get caught underneath the adult, fracturing the tibia.

• Lead children to age appropriate equipment
• Adult supervision is recommended
• Appropriate padding underneath the equipment should be present

Child injuries can be assessed by us at Beacon Orthopaedics via in-person clinical evaluations and telehealth online visits. Appointments can be made online or by phone at 513-354-3700. To stay in touch with updates and information, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter. We are ready to help.

Come to Beacon Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine 

If you have a foot or ankle injury, come to Beacon Orthopaedics. We specialize in all things orthopedics, from hip and knee injuries to spine surgery. Contact us today for more information! Click here to schedule an appointment with Dr. Miller for foot and ankle injuries.