STAYING ON TRACK FOR A SAFE SUMMER WITH SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN®

When help is needed, Shriners Hospitals for Children are there. When my niece was born, she was afflicted with Cerebral palsy leaving her unable to walk for most of her young life. Thanks to the incredible team at  Shriners Hospitals for Children® not only is she able to walk today, but she has gone on to become a doctor in her own right and now gives back to other children as her way of saying “Thank You” to those that gave her a new lease on life. 

 When I was given the chance to be a part of an event hosted by  Shriners Hospitals for Children®  to educate children and their parents about keeping safe and injury-free this summer I, of course, jumped at the chance. 

The girls and I were thrilled to be able to attend the On Track for a Safe Summer event at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Sacramento, so we could share with other parents and grandparents the steps we can all take to prevent injuries during this fun and active season.

As you may or may not know, June was National Safety Month but did you also know that that summer is known as “trauma season” among public health and medical professionals in the United States because during summer, more than any other time of year more serious injuries and unintentional deaths are the most likely to occur among children. It the hopes of Shriners Hospitals for Children® that with some very simple tools, that the On Track for a Safe Summer can educate families and their children on the risks at the playground, swimming and boating, lawnmowers, and fire safety, hopes to help reduce the risks of accidents and prevent injuries this summer. 

From the time we arrived, the girls, as well as all of the families there, were captivated by the fun but meaningful activities that awaited them. In the carnival-like setting, the families were able to enjoy a wonderful morning from start to finish all while learning some very useful skills along the way.

The girls were given special safety books to start with and as they completed each of the stations, they were given a sticker to show that they had mastered that particular safety lesson. From dressing up in Super Hero capes and making their own superhero masks, to dressing up as safety professionals to bubble-blowing lawnmowers to slides and more, the kids had a ball learning all about how to stay On Track for a Safe Summer.

Shriners Hospitals for Children® urges parents and caregivers to continually remind kids of simple precautions that hopefully will keep them injury-free this summer. Precautions include such simple things as: 

• Always swim with an adult or a friend. This goes for adults, too.
• Don’t dive into water where you can’t see the bottom
• Always wear a life jacket when near the water.
• Never play on or around lawn mowers.
• Don’t play around fire pits, campfires or grills
• Swing sitting down.
• Slide feet first, and just one child at a time.
• Don’t push or shove other children on the playground.
• Know your phone number and who to call in an emergency

It was all done in such a fun and interactive way, that the kids had no idea that they were actually learning at the same time and even a week later, the girls can still quote you and tell you about every one of the safety tips that they learned that. As a teacher I know that this is the best learning there is. 

You never think about fun and hospital going hand in hand but that’s exactly what Shriners try to do for all of their patients. I can remember my niece being wheeled in wagons to movie night, ice cream parties and carnivals in the parking lot and from what we saw, that is still true today. No one wants to be in the hospital-especially when that someone happens to be a child but if that time should ever arise, it’s good to know that the Shriners are there to make that stay as fun as possible.

If an accident or in our case, a birth defect does occur, did you know that Shriners Hospitals for Children® is there to help, regardless of your ability to pay? As leaders in specialty pediatric care, Shriners Hospitals for Children’s wonderful staff is available to provide expert surgical and rehabilitative care to children with orthopedic conditions, spinal cord injuries and burns. Their motto is  Care Beyond Cost and they are committed to providing the best care for children in their specialty areas of Orthopedics, Burn Care, Spinal Cord Injury, and Cleft Lip and Palate, regardless of a family’s ability to pay.

 

It’s so reassuring to know that even after all these years, the Shriners are still there for families. You can learn more about what you can do to prevent injuries this summer, as well as the care available if an accident does occur, by visiting  Shriners Hospitals for Children®. 

 

This is a sponsored post written on the behalf of Shriners Hospitals for Children®. All the opinions and views expressed here are my own.

The post Staying On Track For A Safe Summer with Shriners Hospitals for Children® appeared first on The Adventures Of Life-Spontaneous Travel, Food and Fun.

2023-05-26T02:06:27Z dg43tfdfdgfd