Providers:

Well Child Summer Safety Pack:

Keeping kids safe this Summer Holidays

Welcome to your first WellChild/Tamariki Ora pack for 2006 -
This year we are aiming to do 4 information packs for you rather than just one for the actual WellChild/Tamariki Ora week in May.

During the first quarter we would like to focus on keeping our children safe especially over the summer and engaging them in age and developmentally appropriate activities.

Below are some suggestions, some facts, some resources and some links to other site, resources.

Have fun and if you need more ideas or help in any way call us.

Dr. Marguerite Dalton,
National WellChild /Tamariki Ora week Coordinator

Tel.09 373 7599 ext 84666
Fax 09 373 7030
Mobile 0274 824 729
PO Box 17 360 Greenlane Auckland

The Summer Holidays are here!

As a nation of water and sun-lovers, this is the time of year we turn to the outdoors for low cost activities to keep bored children and relatives entertained. The beach, pools, parks, rivers and boats are all kiwi favourites. Even the most vigilant parent can lose attention when looking after children but this is the time of year when parents and caregivers can’t afford to. There can be devastating results if they do some facts:

• Drowning is the second leading cause of death in pre-school children
• Babies lose body heat rapidly and can be prone to hypothermia – for example in the sea or a pool
• Pre-school children are the most at-risk of being killed as child pedestrians
• NZ has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

This pack includes information on how to keep your children safe and happy these holidays:

• Water Safety
  
• Being Sun-Smart
  
• Road Safety
  
• Low cost activities to do at home
  
• Handy Websites

Also included are some handy leaflets and brochures:

• Water Safety New Zealand’s ‘Keep kids safe near water’ booklet
  
• WaterSafe Auckland’s ‘Kia Maru’ brochure
  
• SunSmart’s ‘Keep kids safe from the sun’ brochure
  
• Kids and Safety (SKIP)

Water Safety:

Drowning is the second major cause of death in pre-school children.

We are a nation of water-lovers. Kiwi kids spend their summers in the pool and at the beach. The number one rule for parents is to provide active supervision for children at all times when they are in or around water.

Supervision

The person supervising needs to be physically fit and able to help in case of an emergency. The supervisor should stand within sight and reach of children, away from distractions so they have their full attention on watching out for children. If there are many children in the water, it may mean there needs to be extra supervision.

Set physical boundaries and rules for the kids, for example: “Don’t go in the water deeper than your waist” “Stay between the water and an area of foreshore” or “No dunking other children underwater”.

Beach safety

Surf Lifesaving and Water Safety New Zealand spend countless hours each year reminding people to “Swim between the Flags”. Lifeguards place the flags in the least-dangerous place to swim, out of the way of rips. Rips are strong currents of water moving out to seas. There may be a calm spot on the surface with smaller waves and foam or debris floating out to sea. Parents and caregivers should remember that just because lifeguards are on duty doesn’t mean they get out of supervision.

Make sure children are adequately dressed to swim and play in the water in bathing suits or shorts.
T-Shirts should not be worn in the water- they get heavy when wet and can drag children underwater if they get into trouble.
Waves can be unpredictable and can sweep children out to sea in seconds.

Learn to Swim

From the age of three children can learn how to swim. If parents and caregivers aren’t confident to teach children, the local swimming pool may have classes or a swimming teacher can be contacted through the Yellow Pages. Children can even be enrolled in a ‘nippers’ programme with a local Surf Lifesaving Club. They will learn beach safety, and how to signal for help by raising an arm straight in the air, if they get into trouble. But don’t wait till three to introduce your child to water, the earlier they are exposed to the experience the more likely they will enjoy it later in life.

Pool Safety

Every year children are injured or die in or around pools for preventable reasons -egg no supervision, unlocked pool fences or slippery wet surfaces.

Just like at the beach, supervision is essential. Children need to learn to obey pool rules and listen to the instructions of lifeguards, remembering to walk around pool edges, which can be slippery when wet.

It is New Zealand law for private pools to be fenced, with a self-closing and self-latching gate, for the protection of children. Over 85 percent of home-pool child drownings occur in a child’s own home or when they’re visiting others.

Your local building inspector can tell you your legal requirements for complying with the ‘Fencing of Swimming Pools Act’ of 1987.

In the Bath

There only needs to be a few centimetres of water in a bath for your child to drown if they are left unattended so supervision at all times is important. A rubber mat on the bottom of the bath can stop slips and falls. Always watch your pre-school child in the bath.

For babies you can warm up the bathroom to make play more enjoyable. Get your child comfortable with the sensation of water by moving them around the bath and trickling water over their head. Limit bath time for babies to ten minutes and wrap them in a warm, dry towel, as babies lose heat very quickly.

Make sure you consider other water hazards around the home – anything that contains water and can be reached or climbed into can be dangerous; this includes water troughs, fishponds and even dog bowls.

Being Sunsmart

New Zealand has one of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world.

The sun is strong in New Zealand, with only minutes needed to burn a child’s skin. The skin cancer society recommends New Zealanders stay out of the sun between the hours of 11 am and 4pm when the sun is at its strongest. It’s also important to follow ‘Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap’ to increase protection from harmful UV radiation.

SLIP on a T-Shirt
SLOP on sunscreen
SLAP on a hat
WRAP on a pair of sunglasses

Parents and caregivers need to take extra care with children in the sun. Young children aren’t likely to ask for sunscreen so parents and caregivers need to be vigilant to apply it regularly, according to the manufacturer’s instructions. 30+ SPF is the right sunscreen to use on children’s skin, applying at least 15 minutes before heading out into the sun. Sunscreen needs to be reapplied regularly.

Sun damage can build up over the years and can lead to premature ageing and possibly skin cancer later in life. Children need some sun to stay healthy, a few minutes in the early morning or late afternoon in summer or most times during winter is good for growing children.

Dark-skinned children

It is a myth that parents shouldn’t worry about applying sunscreen and covering up children who have dark skin. All children need to be protected with sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and a T-Shirt to protect them from the suns harmful rays.

Children in Cars: tinted windows and sunshades

Spare a thought for children next time you feel your arms and hands being burnt from the sun when driving in a car. Children who are strapped into car seats can’t move out of the sun as easily as adults can. Use tinted windows or attach sunshades to windows to protect them.

Safety on the Road

The Safekids organisation say pre-school children are the most at-risk of being killed as child pedestrians.

During the summer holidays a lot of families travel to beaches, relative’s houses, holiday homes or baches. Whether our kids are on the road as pedestrians or travelling in cars we need to make sure they are safe.

Pedestrian Safety

There are some simple ways we can teach children about road safety. The first thing you need to do is get down to their level. Children see the world differently to adults; we have to remember that they may not be tall enough to see the things we see and can have impaired vision because of this. Their awareness of speed, distance and danger is also different to ours.

Young children must be taught not to cross the road without an adult and to always cross the road at pedestrian crossings or zebra crossings. Children should be taught to look both ways when crossing and not to blindly walk out onto the road.

The road isn’t a playground and parents should keep their children in close proximity at all times. Take special care in busy places like car parks and driveways where drivers can have impaired vision.

Passenger Safety

Whenever young children are in cars they should be restrained with a safety belt. Standard seat belts are not made for infants or children so a child seat, booster seat or harness, suitable to the age and weight of your child, is essential.

Babies up to the age of one year should sit in a backward facing infant seat, in the back seat of the car, positioned away from airbags, which can smother children.

From six months to four years, children can sit in a forward facing car seat. Children over three years can sit in a booster seat or child harness.

Always make sure the buckles are done up properly and the straps fit snugly and are not twisted.

Keep children entertained!

Keeping children active and entertained is easy if you get inventive. Think about ways to enrich their learning and development while they play.

Indoors:

• Make play-dough and bake your children’s creations in the oven
• Read books aloud
• Create a book - write the story and draw the pictures
• Make imaginary playhouses from large boxes
• Have an indoors tea party
• Dance to music
• Grow a carrot or potato in water
• Dress-ups
• Create potato stamps
• Make masks

Outdoors:

• Finger painting with non-toxic paints
• Make bubble mixture from dishwashing liquid and a bubble blower
• Water the garden
• Plant small flowers or vegetables in ice-cream containers
• Play tag
• Sand castles
• Have a water play-fight

Handy Websites

www.acc.co.nz
Tips on preventing accidents and injuries: Puzzles and games for kids.

www.watersafety.org.nz
Tips to educate people on the dangers of water (pool, beach and bath)

www.slsnz.org.nz
Surf Lifesaving New Zealand: Safety at the Beach.

www.sunsmart.co.nz
The dangers of the sun to children: Slip Slop Slap and Wrap

www.familyservices.govt.nz
SKIP: Strategies with kids

www.roadsense.co.nz
Road safety for children