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How Your Kids Can Have a Safe Holiday at Home and on the Road
11/14/2006
Indianapolis - The holiday season can be a very hectic time for entertaining and celebrating with family and friends, but it can also be a very dangerous time for children. Many new hazards are introduced into the home during the holidays when there's a change in routine and families are more distracted. In fact, unintentional injuries are the leading killer of kids in the United States. Each year, more than 14 million children require medical treatment for serious injuries.
Medical experts, Joe O'Neil, M.D. and "Tres" Scherer, III, M.D., will tell you how to prevent injuries this holiday season so you don't have to spend it in the emergency room. Even though parents are being vigilant when it comes to holiday safety, they say many don't realize unintentional injuries are most often preventable. They'll point out the hazards in your home that can make your holiday anything but peaceful.
MEDICAL EXPERTS: "Tres" Scherer, III, M.D., and Joe O'Neil, M.D., - Riley Hospital for Children
Dr. Scherer is the Director of the Pediatric Trauma Program, Riley Hospital for Children. Dr. Scherer is also a Principle Investigator of the Indianapolis Injury Free Coalition for Kids at Riley Hospital for Children. This is a coalition of healthcare and community leaders developing injury prevention programs in the Indianapolis area based on geographic injury surveillance.
Dr. O'Neil is an assistant professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Riley Hospital for Children. He is the chair of the Injury Prevention Committee for the Indiana chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Dr. O'Neil's current projects include research on injuries to children with special health care needs, evaluation of fall injuries in inner-city neighborhoods, methods to increase booster seat and seatbelt use, methods to increase parental involvement in the adolescent driving education process, and evaluation of firearm injuries and deaths in Marion County.
They will be able to discuss:
Childproofing homes when hosting kids for a visit or while staying with relatives
Holiday decorations that can lead to injuries.
How holiday entertaining creates additional safety concerns at home
Child passenger safety for holiday travel.
Resources for parents.