BC Children’s Hospital urges families to make summer safety part of outdoor play

With children spending more time at playgrounds, sports fields and parks during the summer, an injury prevention expert is encouraging families to take simple precautions to help keep outdoor activities safe.

Dr. Shelina Babul, director of the BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit at BC Children’s Hospital, said the hospital sees a consistent increase in sport- and recreation-related injuries every summer.

Babul said more than 700 injuries were reported each summer in the past three years. 

“That’s primarily because the weather’s nice, kids are out playing in the playground, or trampolines, or playing in outdoor recreational or organized sports.”

According to data released by BC Children’s Hospital, playgrounds, trampolines, soccer, baseball and basketball account for many of the injuries treated during the summer. Children between the ages of five and nine account for the largest share of cases, followed closely by those aged 10 to 14.

While emergency departments see fractures, sprains and concussions throughout the season, Babul said the answer is not to discourage children from being active. Instead, she recommends taking steps to reduce the risk of injury while allowing kids to enjoy the benefits of outdoor play.

For younger children, that means active supervision on playgrounds and trampolines. For older children participating in organized sports, Babul recommends proper warmups, neuromuscular training and wearing the appropriate protective equipment for their sport.

She also encouraged families to strike a healthy balance between organized activities and downtime, particularly as screen time continues to compete with outdoor recreation.

“Encourage outdoor play over screen time for sure, because we know the detrimental impact it’s having on kids’ mental health,” Babul said.

At the same time, she said parents should pay attention to their children’s energy levels and avoid pushing them too hard.

“Always listen to your children. If they are tired, make sure you don’t push them to continue to play.”

Babul also urged parents to learn the signs of a concussion, noting the injury can be more difficult to recognize than a broken bone or sprain.

She said children who experience a significant blow to the head, neck or body should be monitored for symptoms. Immediate medical attention should be sought if a child experiences persistent vomiting, loss of consciousness, numbness or tingling in the arms or legs, confusion or blurred vision.

“Persistent vomiting, loss of consciousness—though that only happens in 10 per cent of concussions—numbness and tingling of the extremities, confusion, or blurred vision. If any of those happen, then go to the emergency immediately.”

Even if those warning signs are absent, Babul said parents should continue monitoring children for 48 hours, as symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, sensitivity to light or noise, difficulty concentrating and changes in sleep patterns can develop later.

For families looking to learn more about concussion awareness and injury prevention, Babul recommends the Concussion Awareness Training Tool (CATT) and ActiveSafe to learn more about concussion recognition and injury prevention.