Blog of an Ultra-endurance Athlete Who Ran Solo Across the USA, Germany, Alaska and Mojave Desert: Each Year 200,000+ Kids Go To Hospitals With Playground Injuries

Wednesday, August 17, 2016

Each Year 200,000+ Kids Go To Hospitals With Playground Injuries

Recess might be the best part of a kid's school day and the playground is all fun and games -- until someone gets hurt.

Last year in the United States, emergency departments treated more than 200,000 children (age 14 and younger) for playground-related injuries, and 45% of playground injuries are severe fractures, internal injuries, dislocations or concussions. Children ages five to nine have higher rates of emergency department visits for playground injuries than any other age group. Most of these injuries occur at school.

I'm sharing these statistics because it is important for schools to maintain playgrounds that are as safe as possible, and playground monitors need to be on the lookout for situations that may create a hazard for children. Softer surfaces -- such as mulch, grass, sand and wood chips -- go a long way to preventing serious injuries. However, children tend to play in groups and that can be a recipe for trouble.

When I was a 5th grade teacher and a playground monitor I would see children stopping at the bottom of the slide and not getting out of the way of the next person coming down. I saw children who were not paying attention and walking directly into the path of someone on the swing set. There are many situations for a playground monitor to be on the lookout for in order to try and lessen the number of nearly a quarter million children that go to the emergency room each year with playground-related injuries.

Kids are going to be kids, but we as adults need to do what we can to keep them safe while they're in the classroom, cafeteria, gymnasium, or on the playground.