Article Contributed on: 6/29/2009 2:21:27 PM
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN YOUTH CLINICS HELP FAMILIES MAKE SURE
THEIR HOMES ARE SAFE FOR ALL
School is out for the summer and many children are focused on having summer fun at home. This can mean a lot of running in and out of the house throughout the day. According to the Home Safety Council, the home is the second most common location of unintentional fatal injuries in the U.S. Because June is home safety month, The Rocky Mountain Youth Clinics (The RMYC) would like to help parents make their home a safer place for children.
"Children under the age of five are one of the highest-risk groups for home injury, both fatal and nonfatal. While, in-home injuries are definitely not something a parent or a child thinks about everyday, it is important to be aware of what in your home could potentially be dangerous," explains Dr. Joe Craig, medical director of The RMYC. "The RMYC knows accidents do happen. Our clinics offer free and low-cost health care services to help children receive the care they need when everyday accidents occur."
The RMYC is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing high quality health care services to children and adolescents in Colorado, regardless of their insurance status or a family's ability to pay. What began as a single clinic has grown to become one of the largest pediatric safety net providers in the U.S., serving more than 35,000 children through 50,000 patient visits each year.
The RMYC services are provided through a network of two Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles, more than 20 smaller off-site satellite clinics and three traditional clinics in Aurora, Denver and Thornton. The RMYC have a unique and holistic approach to health care, providing children with a "medical home." In addition to traditional medical services, The RMYC also offer an early childhood literacy program called Reach Out and Read, a food/clothing bank, a holiday gift assistance program, social work services, secondhand smoke exposure education, a weight management clinic, Postpartum Depression screening, tobacco cessation assistance as well as access to asthma clinics.
According to the Home Safety Council (www.homesafetycouncil.org), home related injuries cause nearly 20,000 deaths, more than 2,000 of those being children under 15, and result in 21 million medical visits on average each year. The top five leading causes of unintentional home injury death for children under 15 are fire/burns, choking/suffocation, drowning/submersion, firearms and poisoning. To help drastically decrease these numbers, the Home Safety Council provides parents with a list of things that can be done to make their home a safer place.
• Bathroom safety. Be sure to have a grab bar by the bathtub, shower and toilet, place non-slip strips in the bathtub and shower, place a bathmat with a non-skid bottom next to the bathtub and shower and keep the floor clean and dry.
• Stair safety. Handrails should be on both sides of stairs and steps in any home. In addition, be sure to have lots of lights at both the top and bottom of the stairs and keep them clear of toys, games, etc.
• Fire safety. Make a home fire escape plan with your family by drawing a map of your home and finding two ways out of every room. Be sure to pick a place outside for every member of the family to meet. Also, it is important to make sure there are working smoke alarms in your home on every level of the home and in the bedrooms.
• Fall Prevention. Installing hardware-mounted safety gates at the top and bottom of every stairway is important if you have a baby or toddler. Do not use accordion-style gates, because they can trap a child. Be sure to close the gate every time you leave the room. Teach your child how to crawl down the stairs backward when they reach 10 - 12 months, but do not ever allow them to play on the stairs, balconies or landings.
• Kitchen Safety. Be sure to store all dangerous and poisonous products away from food and in locked cabinets. Teach your children to stay away from the stove. For instance, put tape on the floor so they can see where the "no-kid-zone" is. Young children should not use the stove or microwave alone.
The RMYC want to ensure that children in Colorado receive the proper care they need and deserve. To make an appointment, you can reach The RMYC Denver office via phone at 303-869-2182, the Aurora office at 303-360-8111 and the Thornton office at 303-450-3690.
If you are interested in helping The RMYC, please contact its Community Relations and Volunteer Manager, Jill Friedentag Fishman. She can be reached at 720-343-1785 or via email at jill@rockymountainyouth.org. You can make a difference - donate money, donate goods or donate your time today! For more information, please visit our Web site at rockymountainyouth.org.