{"id":16958,"date":"2023-01-27T11:45:02","date_gmt":"2023-01-27T17:45:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=16958"},"modified":"2023-01-24T16:21:01","modified_gmt":"2023-01-24T22:21:01","slug":"talk-to-kids-and-other-parents-about-gun-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/talk-to-kids-and-other-parents-about-gun-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"Talk to kids and other parents about gun safety"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter your stance on gun ownership, it\u2019s important to talk to kids about gun safety<\/a>. Kids have a natural curiosity about firearms. Without guidance and education, a few minutes or even seconds could result in tragedy.<\/p>\n

Firearm-related injuries are now the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 19, surpassing motor vehicle accidents for the first time, according to the most recent statistics<\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a>. In fact, 13 kids die<\/a> from guns every day from unintentional or accidental shootings and murders.<\/p>\n

\u201cEverybody should be shocked by those statistics \u2013 13 kids a day die. That\u2019s too many,\u201d said Kurt Bloomstrand, MD<\/a>, an emergency medicine physician at OSF HealthCare and Emergency Medical Services director for East Central Illinois EMS.<\/p>\n

Dr. Bloomstrand has seen the aftermath of accidental shootings involving children \u2013 the physical injuries and the emotional impact on all involved.<\/p>\n

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Gun violence tip sheet for parents.
Download<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cI have personally dealt with a situation where a toddler was involved in an accidental discharge of a firearm. It was a very critical situation. The patient required many resources and the situation weighed heavily on the medical team that was caring for the toddler,\u201d he said. \u201cSituations dealing with gun violence require extra resources and stress to the health care system.\u00a0This is especially true when it impacts the youth of the communities we serve.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems in recent years we have seen an unfortunate increase in patients with gunshot wounds in our emergency departments and in the emergency medical services (EMS) agencies we oversee,\u201d Dr. Bloomstrand said. \u201cAnd many of these are accidental shootings that could have been prevented.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make gun safety part of the conversation<\/h2>\n

A national survey reported by the Journal of the American Medical Association<\/a> estimates 4.6 million kids in the U.S. live with unlocked, loaded guns in the home. Because of this, kids are able to find guns and\u00a0unintentionally shoot\u00a0themselves or others. Unsecured firearms are also a\u00a0leading means\u00a0of youth and teen suicide.<\/p>\n

The best way to avoid firearm-related accidents is to talk to your kids about guns \u2013 again and again. Regular conversations will remove the mystery about guns and help them understand how to keep themselves safe.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it is a good idea to make this part of a normal safety conversation that parents have with their children.\u00a0It is important to keep the language simple when talking about gun safety<\/a> to a level that kids can understand,\u201d Dr. Bloomstrand said. \u201cIt is also important to repeat these conversations on a regular basis with kids so they remember.\u201d<\/p>\n

Steps to take:<\/p>\n