Oh, school is back in session! Are you in a routine yet? Hopefully, you are on your way to a back-to-school routine that works for the whole family! And now that school is going strong into the new year, the team at AFC Urgent Care Fountain City wants to talk about playground safety. It’s Time for Recess! For kids both young and old, recess is often the most exciting time of the day! When they head outside for fun, make sure they’re doing so safely. While teachers and other faculty will check the school’s playground for any safety concerns, there might be times you want to take your children to the playground during the early evening during the week and on weekends. As a result, it’s important to take the following precautions so that you and your children leave the playground with only smiles—not injuries! The first part of playground safety is making sure your child is dressed appropriately. Wearing long dresses or pants that are too long can be a tripping hazard for your child, especially when running and playing on the playground. Therefore, you want to make sure your child is wearing properly fitted clothing that he or she can easily maneuver in while playing. It’s also important to consider the shoes your child is wearing. On days when outdoor activities are planned, make sure your child has on shoes that provide ample support and protection as strains and sprains are some of the most common playground injuries. Teach your children to make sure their shoes are always tied, and that if they do fall and feel any type of pain or discomfort to let you know immediately as a small strain or sprain can become a more severe injury if not treated properly. We suggest keeping a cooler with an icepack on hand just in case as the quicker you can get ice on these types of injuries the better of your child will be. If you’re considering taking your kids to a local playground, check online to make sure the surfacing material beneath the equipment is safe before you head out the door. Older playground were not built to the safety standards that must be met today, and you don’t want surfaces like concrete and asphalt to cause injury to your child if he or she takes a tumble down the slide or trips climbing up to the monkey bars. Also, it’s still warm outside. So, you’re going to want to check the temperature of equipment surfaces. You won’t believe how hot some playground equipment can get, especially during the peak hours of the day when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are at their most intense. Hot playground equipment can burn your child’s skin, and even cause second-degree or higher burns that could require serious medical attention. This is one of the most overlooked areas of playground safety and can lead to some of the worst injuries. Remember, while your child is out there running around and having fun, he or she is also burning calories and experiencing a rise in body temperature, especially if the temperature outside is already hot. If you’re heading to the playground, take along plenty of water and even a healthy snack if you’re sticking around for a while. Playgrounds Around Town Are you looking for a playground in the area to take your child to when you have some free time? There are plenty of options around town, including:
If something does go wrong and your trip to the playground ends with an injury, AFC Urgent Care Fountain City is open seven days a week to help treat any non-life threatening illness or injury your family might face.
