Families should focus on outdoor safety as warm weather arrives

With the warm weather, kids are going outside to play. That means this is a good time to think about keeping them safe outdoors.

First, review your rules as a family.

Where are your children allowed to go, and under what circumstances?

Are they allowed to walk to the park at the corner alone? With a friend? Only with an adult?

Where can they ride their bikes or go in-line skating or skateboarding?

Remind them about not talking to strangers or going off with anyone they don't know.

Next, consider what they will be doing outdoors. Will they be riding a bike or using other equipment such as a skateboard?

Make sure their equipment is appropriate for their size and skill level. A bike that is too large or too small can be difficult for a child to control. You might be able to raise or lower the bike seat to make it fit properly, but if not you need a different bike.

Whether you buy new or get the child a used or hand-me-down bike, fit it to the child. A bike should have at least a few inches of clearance between the ground and the bike bar when the child is standing up, and the child should be able to reach the ground easily when stopping.

If you decide to go with a hand-me-down or used bike, make sure it is in good working order. You can take it to a bike shop and have it checked out, so that you are certain it won't fail your child in a critical situation

In-line skates, skateboards and other equipment also should be sized for the child. For example, skates should fit snugly enough to give the child control, but not so snugly that they pinch or cause blisters.

Most importantly, make sure your child's safety equipment still fits. Children grow quickly, so last year's safety gear might be too small. It is especially critical that your child has a helmet that fits, and that he or she puts it on properly and wears it every time.

More than 400,000 children under age 14 are treated every year in hospital emergency rooms for bike-related accidents, according to the Federal Highway Association, and boys are much more likely to be injured than are girls.

Helmets are the most effective way to reduce bike-related head injuries and fatalities, the association says; helmets are 85 to 88 percent effective in mitigating these injuries. Yet, a majority of riders don't wear helmets.

You should always set a good example for your kids — and help protect your own head — by wearing a helmet whenever you bike.

If your child is a skater or skateboarder, make sure he or she has a skate-style helmet. These helmets are designed to cover the back of the head, because the most common skateboard injury comes from falling backward. They are also designed to protect against lower-velocity falls than are bike helmets. Some skate helmets meet the safety standards for bike helmets, but many do not.

Your child should wear the helmet that is appropriate for the sport.

• Children's health is a continuing series. This week's article is courtesy of Amita Health, which is comprised of 19 hospitals and more than 230 sites of care, including Amita Health Alexian Brothers Women & Children's Hospital, Hoffman Estates. Amita Health has 900 providers in its medical groups, more than 26,000 associates and 7,000 physician partners and serves over six million residents in the greater Chicagoland area. For more information about Amita Health's programs, locations and services visit www.amitahealth.org.