Making Spring Safe For Kids

Spring is almost here, and there are some safety precautions parents should take now, before kids head out again into the warmer weather.

The Early Show medical correspondent Dr. Emily Senay explains that some basic preparations for the activities of spring can help prevent many of the thousands of visits to the emergency room each year associated with warm weather activities.

The American College of Emergency Physicians is urging parents to be aware of the dangers to kids and take precautions now, while it's still winter, and the bicycles are still in the garage and the pools are still empty.

Basic maintenance and checks of recreational equipment can go a long way when it comes to injury prevention.

Inspect bicycles, scooters and other riding toys to make sure all the nuts and bolts are tight. Make sure moving parts are lubricated and bicycle chains have guards to prevent clothing from being caught on them and causing injury. Make sure bicycle helmets still fit correctly as your child grows. An ill-fitting helmet will not provide adequate protection. And make sure the safety measures in place around the backyard pool are still in working order. Inspect the fences and gates and make repairs as needed.

Now is a good time to take inventory of the helmets and the knee pads and any other safety items that have been gathering dust over the winter.

It's also a good idea to review the importance of safety precautions with your kids.

Remind children to wear bike helmets whenever they ride, no matter how short a ride they're taking. That's a no-brainer and non-negotiable.

Elbow and knee pads should be worn at all times by scooter riders. Children should only ride during daylight hours or in areas with proper lighting.

Whenever riding at dusk or later, children should wear light-colored clothing to make themselves more visible to drivers. Make sure children know the importance of keeping a watchful eye out for vehicles while they're riding.

A little reinforcement now can remind kids they are not invincible and that safety is an important part of having fun.

Parents should always be aware of their kids' activities and monitor them whenever possible. But there are some activities that are particularly important to supervise.

Children under the age of 8 who ride bicycles, scooters or other riding toys should be supervised at all times. Children should never swim without adult supervision or a lifeguard present. And backyard trampolines should be supervised to make sure there's only one child bouncing at a time.

Parents should go down the safety checklist now, because the first day of spring is only a week away.