Norton doctors warn preventable child injuries rise during summer months

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — As summer approaches, health officials are warning parents about what they call the "100 Deadliest Days of Summer," a period when unintentional injuries among children tend to rise.

Memorial Day weekend often marks the unofficial start of the season, when more children are outdoors, traveling and participating in recreational activities.

Data from Norton Healthcare shows Kentucky’s rate of unintentional injury deaths among children up to age 14 is 1.07 per 100,000 — higher than the national average of 0.78.

Doctors said many of the injuries seen during this time are preventable with basic safety precautions.

"Making sure kids are watching when they are crossing the street, and if they are participating in sports or outdoor activities like riding a bicycle, that they are wearing a helmet," said Dr. Heather Felton, a pediatrician with Norton Children's. "And especially our younger kids around the 1 to 4 age group, you want to be really cautious around the water and making sure they always have adult supervision."

Doctors with Norton said emergency departments commonly see concussions, other head injuries and broken bones during the summer months.

They are urging families to take extra precautions as activity increases in the coming weeks.