November 15, 2022, 10:40 a.m.
Lindsay Clukies, MD
Did you know that injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children? In fact, injuries and violence are the leading cause of death and disabilities for people from age one to 44 years old, and every day, people needlessly die from preventable injuries and violence, many of them being children. The good news is that injuries are predictable and, most importantly, preventable! At St. Louis Children’s Hospital, we evaluate and treat injured children daily. While we love taking care of our patients, our goal is to prevent these injuries from happening.
Here are the top five ways you can prevent common injuries from taking place.
- Car Seat Safety – Your child’s safety in a moving vehicle is of top priority. Child passenger safety techs are available at St. Louis Children’s Hospital Safety Stop to answer your car seat questions and help you correctly use your child’s car seat.
- Helmet Safety – Adjusting and properly fitting your child’s bike helmet helps prevent common bike head injuries.
- Home Safety – Safety for your child starts at home. Take this Home Safety Survey to understand childproofing needs in your home.
- Gun Safety – If you own a gun(s), it is important that they stay out of reach of your child(ren). Safety Stop provides free gun locks to the St. Louis community to help promote gun safety. We also offer free gun locks that can be mailed to your home. Request a free gun lock, today.
- Sleep Safety – Learning how to correctly swaddle your baby, crib safety, and the importance of tummy time helps prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
At St. Louis Children’s Hospital we take child safety seriously. Safety Stop offers an array of free educational services.
We have five locations in the region, including St. Louis Children’s Hospital, St. Louis Specialty Care Center- West County, St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center – South County, Progress West Hospital in O’Fallon, MO, and The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum in Kirkwood, MO.
Appointments are required because each consultation is individualized to each family’s unique needs and allows our team to devote as much time to a family without any interruptions. To learn more, visit www.stlouischildrens.org/safetystop.
National Injury Prevention Day – November 18
St. Louis Children’s Hospital is part of the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, one of the country’s most effective injury prevention programs, comprised of hospital-based, community-oriented programs whose efforts are anchored in research, education, and advocacy.
November 18 is a big date each year, as St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the Injury Free Coalition for Kids, and the country’s leading injury and violence prevention organizations raise awareness to empower communities to make a difference. Our city, state, and country will be “lighting up green” to shine a light on injury prevention and remind you to research what you can do to help prevent injuries.
We tackle topics all year round including pediatric mental health, all-terrain vehicle (ATV) safety, accidental ingestions and poisonings, firearm injuries, home safety, and more.
For more information on how to participate in National Injury Prevention Day, contact Lindsay Clukies at [email protected].
Lindsay Clukies, MD, is a Washington University emergency medicine physician and associate medical director for trauma services at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
