Twelve Days of Injury Prevention Tips
Here are some suggestions to keep you and your family safe and healthy this holiday season.
- The holidays can be stressful. Check-in regularly with your kids. Ask open-ended questions, listen to their feelings, and seek help if needed. More here: hiprc.org/suicide-prevention
- Talk to your teens about fentanyl. Fentanyl is a very strong opioid that is tasteless and odorless, and an amount about the size of two grains of salt can cause overdose. It is often mixed into powders and counterfeit pills. You cannot tell if drugs contain fentanyl by look, taste, smell, or touch. More here: hiprc.org/opioids
- Recognize an opioid overdose. The person cannot be woken up. Slow or no breathing. Gurgling, gasping, or snoring. Clammy, cool skin. Blue or gray lips or nails. Vomiting. If you suspect an overdose, call 911 More at: hiprc.org/opioids
- Look for signs of depression and anxiety. Warning signs include withdrawal from friends and family, talking about suicide or death, desperation, and isolation. What can you do? Information and resources at hiprc.org/suicide-prevention-resource-guide
- Falls are the primary cause of injury among older adults. Remove trip hazards at home, have your eyes checked once a year and add lighting where needed. When going outside, remember that sidewalks and stairs may be slippery. More at: hiprc.org/fall-prevention
- Booster seats and car seats save kids’ lives. Always buckle your children in the car using a safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt appropriate to their height, weight, and age. Buckle up every time, no matter how short the trip. More at: hiprc.org/outreach/booster
- Remove firearms from the home or store unloaded and out-of-reach and out-of-sight of children. Store guns and ammunition separately. Use safety devices like trigger locks and gun safes for every gun in the house. To learn more about how to reduce the risk of firearm injury and death, visit: hiprc.org/3interventionstoolkit
- Protect your child from burns in the home. Every day more than 400 children are treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries. Do not leave fireplaces, space heaters, food cooking on stoves, or candles unattended. More at: hiprc.org/burn-safety
- Carbon monoxide, or “CO,” is an odorless, colorless gas that can kill you. CO is produced from burning fuel in vehicles, small engines, stoves, lanterns, grills, fireplaces, gas ranges, or furnaces. To protect yourself from unintentional poisoning, install a CO detector in your home. Never use portable flameless chemical heaters indoors or a gas range or oven for heating. More at: hiprc.org/burn-safety
- Campfires are the nation’s leading cause of child camping injuries. Always supervise children around a fire. Keep children and pets at least 3 feet away. Have a fire extinguisher and plenty of water on hand in case a fire gets out of control. More at: hiprc.org/campfire-safety
