I often become so focused on illness and disease as matters of community health that I forget safety is an important community health topic, especially the safety of children in the summer. In my last column I made a case for a prevention based approach to health in our community. In that column I focused on prevention of chronic disease in our community. This week I am once again putting prevention in the spotlight, prevention of accidental death and injury to children. The top two killers of children and youth in our country are motor vehicle accidents and drowning. Prevention can play a huge role in avoiding death in both of these unfortunate events.

 

Car accidents can be greatly decreased by prevention and safety practices; but, unfortunately sometimes all of the prevention in the world will not deter a car accident from happening. The best tool we have today in protecting our children from death in the event of an accident are car safety seats and seat belts. The statistics show that 71% of babies under age 1, 54% of toddlers ages 1-4 are less likely to be killed when using proper restraint in a motor vehicle 47% of children who were killed have not been properly restrained. The CDC estimates that 3,894 lives have been saved from 1975 – 1997 by using car seats properly. Properly being the operative word here. Many people think that just because their child is setting in a car seat they are protected in the car. The seat must be installed and used properly in order to afford the passenger its full protective ability. Luckily here in Walton County, we have a wonderful, often overlooked organization called Safe Kids of Georgia. Kathy Culpepper is the director of our local chapter Safe Kids of Walton County that is based out of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office. Our local chapter is involved in a broad spectrum of prevention based programs for children but its main focus is on car seat safety. They offer a monthly car seat safety class for $20 a person. The class covers proper use and instillation of car seats. If you are interested in the class call Kathy Culpepper at 770-267-1422. Check the Walton Tribune or the Walton County Sheriff’s office website for upcoming car seat safety checks.

Drowning is a much more preventable accident then a car. Childhood drownings and near-drownings can happen in a matter of seconds and typically occur when a child is left unattended or during a brief lapse in supervision. Two minutes following submersion, a child will lose consciousness. Irreversible brain damage occurs after four to six minutes and determines the immediate and long-term survival of a child. The type of water a child drowns in is directly correlated with his age. Babies under age 1 most often drown in bathtubs, toddlers 1-4 drown in pools and ponds and youth in more open bodies of water such as lakes or the ocean. Major risk factors contributed to a drowning are lapse in adult supervision, males under age 4, unlocked gates and inadequate fencing of pools and ponds, lack of adequate adult supervision, drug or alcohol use by supervising adult, child’s ability to swim and having appropriate personal floatation devices. Fortunately for us In Walton County we are getting a new resource that will play a major role in helping to keep our children safe in and around water. The Walton Family Branch of the YMCA under the Georgia Piedmont YMCA out of Winder is launching their first endeavor in Walton a swimming program managed by the Riverwalk Branch personnel. Swimming lessons will be offered to registered children ages 3 and up. Registration is starting May 4^th and the cost is $40. Lessons will began June 8^th through the 19th Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8AM at the Highland Creek Subdivision pool located beside Monroe Area High School. For more information contact Cory West at 770-867-9619 or www.gapiedmonty.org. A column from me would not be complete without a mention of the health and wellness benefits from swim lessons as well. Swimming is a wonderful exercise for all ages that can help in prevention of chronic disease. For questions or comments please visit us online at www.waltonwellnessonline.com.