Child mowing the lawn

A child needs protection especially during summer activities and some protective measures like bike helmets, knee pads and sun blockers, can be used to avoid the harmful sunrays. Although during the summer period mowing the lawn might be a daily task for some children just like riding a bike is dangerous if safety measures are not taken.

Surprisingly from the 210,000 examined, 16,200 children under the age of 19 years visited the doctors offices, clinics and emergency rooms because of the injuries occurred from the lawn mover in 2007, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission states.

To avoid injuries, the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have formed a group to educate parents, adults and children about the prime necessity of lawn mower safety during National Safety Month, June 2008.

“Parents need to understand that lawnmowers can cause terrible devastating injuries to children’s hands, feet or faces, which can impact the rest of their lives,” said ASRM President Neil Jones, MD. “The tragedy is that most of these injuries are totally preventable by following some simple precautions.”

The ASRM, AAOS, ASPS and AAP offer the following tips to help prevent lawn mower-related injuries:

  • Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower.
  • Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.
  • Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not sandals.
  • Young children should be at a safe distance from the area you are mowing.
  • Before mowing, pick up stones, toys and debris from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
  • Always wear eye and hearing protection.
  • Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is released.
  • Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary – carefully look for others behind you when you do.
  • Start and refuel mowers outdoors – not in a garage. Refuel with the motor turned off and cool.
  • Blade settings should be set by an adult only.
  • Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel roads.

    • “Serious orthopaedic trauma can be sustained while operating a lawn mower,” said AAOS President Tony Rankin, MD. “However, by following a few simple safety tips, devastating injuries may be prevented.”

    In most of the cases, lawn mower-related injuries need a special team of physicians who have specialization in some area or the other for the operation. Patients should see to it that there are proper reconstructive operations to regain form and function in the body.

    “Many children who sustain lawn mower injuries must undergo reconstructive surgery for months, sometimes years, after the initial accident,” said ASPS President Richard D’Amico, MD. “The look on parents’ faces can be truly heart wrenching. We are the physicians called to treat these devastating injuries, but would do anything to prevent them in the first place.”

    “Parents want to protect their children from accidents and injuries. But every summer we see children and teens using lawnmowers in an unsafe manner,” said AAP President Renee Jenkins, MD. “It is our job as pediatricians to help get information to parents about how to prevent injuries that are common during summer months, and that includes injuries from lawnmowers.”

    Hence children and parents need to be more careful while doing such activities.