Trauma Injuries Increase During the Summer
The three-month term that follows spring is commonly referred as “Trauma Season.” This is most seen in the North of the country, where winter is rough, so children and adults are forced to hibernate for a while. Consequently, in the summer they enjoy the hot weather by doing outdoor activities.
Increase in Trauma Related Injuries During the Summer:
Beginning in April, bicycle-related injuries begin to increase. By mid-spring, where months begin to get hotter, swimming-related injuries start to rise. Additionally, each summer there are an increased number of lawn mower injuries.
According to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “among children, traumatic injuries can double during summer months,” In winter, every month roughly 100 children visit Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC due to traumatic injuries. In summer, this number doubles per month.
Adult traumas also rise by 25 to 30 percent in the summer, said the medical director of trauma at UPMC Presbyterian.
Adult injuries are different because they tend to be more grown-up harms. Bad sunburns, burns from gas grills, joint injuries from individuals who aren’t in top physical shape, but play some sport during the weekend, and finally, falls are common as well.
Top Trauma Injuries
- Bicycling-related injuries: Bicycles are one of the most dangerous toys for kids. These kinds of injuries are due to high-speed driving and negligence.
- Lawn mower accidents: These are less common for children, however, when they occur both for adults and children, the injuries are pretty severe. In 2011, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded more than 83,000 instances of people were treated in U.S. ERs for lawn mower injuries.
- Swimming injuries: Drownings are more common in the summer time. Children are more likely to drown in swimming pools, whereas adults suffer from down injuries in natural bodies of water.
- ATV, dirt bike and motorcycle injuries: ATV injuries are often caused by rollovers, while with dirt bike injuries, high speeds and jumps are often the culprit, suggested Pittsburgh Post Gazette.
- Trampoline trauma: Concussions, sprains and occasional broken bones are the product of injuries caused by trampolines.
- Burns: Both adults and children suffer from these injuries. Campfire, outdoor grills, fireworks and sunburns, all cause hospitalization.
- Joint injuries: joint injuries among weekend warriors who aren’t in top physical shape are most common. These are mostly due to the increase of practicing sports like basketball and golf.
- Bites: It is more commonly to be bitten by a dog. “While adults are more likely to be bitten on arms or legs, children are more likely than adults to be bitten on the head, neck and face,” according to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- Amusement rides: More than 4,000 injuries from amusement park rides occur per year. The majority are minor injuries like bruises or whiplash. Nonetheless, between two to three times per week, children are hospitalized due to these kinds of injuries.
- Gunshot wounds: 10% of all the trauma-related injuries are caused by shootings and stabbings. During the summer, unfortunately, these kinds of injuries increase, specifically among boys. Further, gunshot wounds are not limited to handguns and rifles – this also includes bb gun, airsoft gun, and paint ball gun injuries.
- Foot injuries: These are caused because both children and adults tend to be more barefoot and expose more skin during the summer months.
- Falls: Due to the increase of physical activity during the summer, these injuries increase. Over the last five years, falls have been the most common traumatic injury which end up hospitalized, for both adults and children.
