Pets are a great addition to the family. However, having an animal in the house can lead to injuries and even hospitalizations. Parents especially need to be wary of children's interactions with pets. Thousands of children go to emergency departments (EDs) each year for dog bites and pet-related injuries.
"Last year, 94 children were sent to the Pediatrics ED - most of them were 1-year-olds," said Anne Brayer, M.D., pediatrician of Emergency Medicine at University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) and co-director of Injury Free Coalition for Kids, based out of Golisano Children's Hospital at URMC.
Nearly two-thirds of children bitten under the age of 4 are injured in the head or neck region, usually because their face is at the level of the dog's mouth. "Dog bites tend to be as much crush as cut, which can make it hard to prevent scarring," said Brayer. She also detailed that on rare occasions, the bite involves the trachea in the neck or goes through the skull, which can lead to serious infection.
Slightly older children are also at risk for dog bites. Children ages 5-9 are more likely to get bitten by dogs than any other age group, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Brayer surmised that these children tend to be more boisterous around dogs and are not watched as carefully as younger children. The Pediatrics ED at URMC sees fewer of these lacerations because they are usually less serious and can be repaired elsewhere. However, these injuries are also largely preventable and can be avoided with adult supervision and child preparedness, reminded Brayer.
Even seemingly harmless pets can cause injuries. A recent finding from the also CDC stated that 86,629 Americans go to EDs each year for tripping over pets and pets' toys. Children aged 0-14 were one of the two most likely age groups to be injured.
To maintain a safe environment for children in home with pets, Brayer recommends the following: