Each year in Chicago and throughout the U.S., millions of school children experience injuries, with a significant number requiring medical attention. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):
- Playground injuries: Approximately 200,000 children under 14 are treated in emergency rooms annually due to playground-related injuries.
- Sports-related injuries: The CDC reports that 2.6 million children between the ages of 5 and 19 are treated in emergency departments each year for injuries related to sports and recreational activities.
- School-related injuries: Data from the CPSC’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System shows over 175,000 school injuries per year that result in emergency room visits.
These figures represent a wide range of injuries, from minor to severe, occurring both during school activities and on the way to or from school.
Parents have a lot to contend with at the start of the school year.
They are often focused on acquiring back-to-school supplies, clothing, smartphones, and computers for their kids, as well as preparing for the new routine. However, one thing that’s often overlooked but remains essential for the new school year is injury prevention. It’s crucial for parents, teachers, and students to stay alert to potential hazards to prevent injuries and accidents to their children both in and out of the classroom.
While economic uncertainty may lead families to make compromises in their back-to-school planning, prioritizing injury prevention is essential as students return to the classroom. Each year, thousands of children are injured on playgrounds, during sports activities, or while commuting to and from school by walking, biking, skateboarding, or using a scooter. Reinforcing a few key safety practices, both in and out of the classroom, can help reduce the risk of injuries and set them up for a successful school year.
Back-to-school season is an exciting time, but it also comes with the need to prioritize safety.
Here are some important Back-to-School Safety Tips for preventing injuries:
1. Backpack Safety
- Tip: Ensure your child uses a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps and a padded back.
- Why It Helps: Overloaded or improperly worn backpacks can cause muscle strain or back pain. Teach kids to wear both straps and to pack only what they need to avoid excess weight.
2. Walking and Biking Safety
- Tip: If your child walks or bikes to school, make sure they know safe routes and the importance of obeying traffic rules.
- Why It Helps: Teach children to cross streets at crosswalks, look both ways, and wear a properly fitted helmet if biking to prevent accidents and head injuries.
3. School Bus Safety
- Tip: Teach children to stand back from the curb while waiting for the bus and to remain seated while riding.
- Why It Helps: Bus-related injuries often occur during boarding or exiting. Stress the importance of staying seated to avoid injuries in case of sudden stops or movements.
4. Playground Safety
- Tip: Encourage kids to follow playground rules and use equipment as it is intended.
- Why It Helps: Supervision is key on the playground. Improper use of swings, slides, or climbing structures can lead to falls and injuries.
5. Traffic and Car Safety
- Tip: Always use car seats, booster seats, or seat belts based on your child’s age, weight, and height.
- Why It Helps: Proper restraint systems in cars significantly reduce the risk of injury in an accident. Remind children to wait for drivers to stop completely before crossing in front of cars in parking lots.
6. Sport and Physical Activity Safety
- Tip: Ensure your child wears appropriate gear, such as helmets, pads, and proper footwear, for sports or gym classes.
- Why It Helps: Protective gear helps prevent fractures, sprains, and concussions during physical activities. Regular hydration is also important to avoid heat-related illnesses.
7. Hand Hygiene to Prevent Illness
- Tip: Teach children proper hand-washing techniques and the importance of using hand sanitizer when soap and water aren’t available.
- Why It Helps: Good hand hygiene can prevent the spread of germs and reduce sick days, which means fewer accidents and injuries caused by weakened immune systems.
8. Emergency Contact Information
- Tip: Ensure your child knows how to contact you and who to reach in case of an emergency.
- Why It Helps: In the event of an injury or emergency at school, having a clear plan of action can help keep your child safe.
By being proactive with these back-to-school safety measures, you can help prevent injuries and ensure a smooth transition into the school year.
But…Kids will be kids! Injuries will happen.
HOW COMMON ARE SCHOOL INJURIES?
Data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) National Electronic Injury Surveillance System shows that more than 175,000 school-related injuries have resulted in visits to hospital emergency rooms over the past decade. The data also indicates that school injuries tend to peak during specific times of the year.
The beginning of the school year is an especially critical time for young children who are learning and adapting to new routines, whether it’s walking or biking to school, as well as adjusting to new sports activities, all of which can increase the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
What are the Most Common Sports Injuries for Students?
- Sprains and Strains
- Sprains: Injuries to ligaments caused by overstretching or tearing, often in the ankle, knee, or wrist.
- Strains: Injuries to muscles or tendons, commonly affecting the hamstrings, quadriceps, or lower back.
- Fractures
- Broken bones that commonly occur in contact sports or due to falls, typically affecting the arms, legs, or wrists.
- Dislocations
- When a bone is forced out of its normal position in a joint, often seen in the shoulder, knee, or fingers.
- Concussions
- Traumatic brain injury from a blow to the head or violent shake, leading to symptoms like headache, dizziness, and confusion.
- Tendonitis
- Inflammation of tendons, often due to repetitive stress or overuse, commonly affecting the elbows, knees, and shoulders.
- Stress Fractures
- Small cracks in bones from repetitive force or overuse, usually in the lower legs or feet.
- Knee Injuries
- Includes ACL tears, meniscus tears, or patellar tendinitis, often due to sudden stops, twists, or impacts.
- Shoulder Injuries
- Includes rotator cuff tears, shoulder impingement, or labral tears, commonly from overhead movements or trauma.
- Hamstring Injuries
- Strains or tears in the hamstring muscles, often during sprinting or sudden acceleration.
- Groin Injuries
- Strains or tears in the groin muscles, often due to sudden changes in direction or intense activity.
- Hip Injuries
- Includes hip flexor strains or hip labral tears from repetitive movements or impact.
- Elbow Injuries
- Conditions like tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and little league elbow (medial epicondylitis), often due to overuse.
How do X-rays, CT scans and MRIs from Preferred Imaging Centers in Chicago can help?
When injuries happen that you suspect may be more serious you you should meet with your health care provider. Often a person with an injury may need advanced imaging to determine the extent and type of damage that might be hidden to the naked eye. For people in and near the Chicago area, X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs from Preferred Imaging Centers in Chicago and Elgin, Illinois can provide invaluable diagnostic information for patients by using different imaging techniques. Here’s how each of them can help:
1. X-rays
- Purpose: X-rays are commonly used for diagnosing fractures, joint dislocations, and detecting abnormalities in bones, teeth, and chest.
- How It Helps: Quick and efficient, X-rays provide clear images of bones and can detect infections or tumors, helping physicians diagnose and plan appropriate treatments.
2. CT Scans (Computed Tomography)
- Purpose: CT scans provide detailed cross-sectional images of the body, making it easier to evaluate internal organs, tissues, and blood vessels.
- How It Helps: CT scans are especially useful for detecting cancers, internal injuries, and cardiovascular diseases. They provide more detailed information than standard X-rays and can be crucial in emergency situations.
3. MRIs (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- Purpose: MRIs create detailed images of organs, soft tissues, and other internal structures using magnetic fields and radio waves.
- How It Helps: MRIs are effective for diagnosing issues related to the brain, spinal cord, joints, and muscles. They are particularly valuable in identifying tumors, nerve injuries, and soft tissue damage without the need for radiation exposure.
- Its worth noting that Preferred Imaging Centers offers OPEN MRIs scans to help patients living in and near Chicago that experience claustrophobia.
- Learn how an MRI scan is performed.
- Learn how much does an MRI Cost.
Why Preferred Imaging Centers?
Preferred Imaging Centers offers state-of-the-art imaging equipment from multiple locations in Chicago, Elgin and Orland Park each having a dedicated and caring staff and highly skilled radiologists, ensuring that these diagnostic tools provide the clearest, most accurate images for your child’s medical needs. Their specialized imaging services help in diagnosing, monitoring, and guiding treatment plans across a wide range of conditions. Getting quality imaging scans can lead to earlier detection and more effective treatments for for your student – or yourself.
We invite you to contact Preferred Imaging Centers for questions and to setup appointments you may need.
