How many injuries in the outdoors?

[dport]

Wanted to ask, what kind, if any injuries the little ones have had while in the outdoors? We took our 5 month old on his first hike to a local waterfall, and it seems quite a few ppl are freaking out about it. We were very safe about it and had 4 other adults with us. I kept one large guy (240lbs) in front of me and a person on my heels, just in case. There were also 20-30 other ppl on the trail if anything were to happen, but I felt that he was compltely safe the entire time. I really think he was safer on the trail than riding in the car on the way there. So lets hear about your mishaps, close calls and lessons learned.

 

[usadventureracing]

What is wrong with people......there is more risk getting hurt in a car than most things we do. People need to get outside more and enjoy nature and quit complaining!!

 

[Bcghosttowns]

Just use common sense and most people will be fine,Too many people are way to worried about other peoples bussiness.
If you wrap your kids in a bubble they will never experience life.

 

[kjp1969]

With 3 kids, someone always gets hurt to some degree. The thing that made me beef up the first aid kit was when my daughter, then 6 years old, and I were playing on a fallen tree. It was about 4 or 5' in diameter, and lo and behold, she just fell off, straight into a pile of dead sticks. I launched off after her, fully expecting a puncture or broken arm, but she just had a skinned knee and hands.

Kids are tough, much tougher than we think. Good parents will be constantly worrying about them, but silently. Remember the worry is yours, keep it there. Don't let the possibility of an injury keep you from letting your kids challenge themselves!

 

[dport]

I couldn't agree more. I went into Birmingham yesterday, and on the way home I passed by 3 major wrecks. I seen one person being loaded on a backboard. I had to take our son to a Dr's appt today in a torrential downpour on flooded roads, and ppl were flying past me the whole way. I think the backyard is just as dangerous as anything else, but no one thinks that way. I have a friend who's son had been impaled through the cheek,as well as recieved shrapnel wounds from an explosion in a trash fire, all while playing in the backyard. I have def. seen more serious injuries and deaths on the highways than I have in the "outdoors".

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Yeah, people have a very skewed sense of fear, especially with kids.

I took my kid cave exploring when he was 2. It was a very easy cave. He loved it, of course! But some people look at you weird.

He's never been hurt outdoors. He's been hurt tons of times jumping on the couch, falling down the stairs, etc. etc. etc.

 

[Herbie]

I don't see where you're from, but based on your comments, I'll take a guess: Are people wigging out because of concerns over mountain lions?

If so, just tell 'em to relax. Keep your kids close and stay alert so you don't stumble right up on one. The frequency of human attacks is very low, but they get news... Remind your critics how many people are attacked by Moose every year. Or vending machines.

If they're freaking out over something OTHER than mountain lions, then I'm lost for an explanation (unless you're in Moose country, see above). Animals, Reptiles and (for the most part) insects aren't much of a danger in North America. We have few poisonous critters, and those that are tend to be the non-aggressive type. Biting flying insects are a problem at certain latitudes, but none of those are lethal, just ranging from annoying to painful. Human-on-human violence in such low-population areas is rare, even more so when said humans are in a group.

Sounds to me like you're doing right by your little one.

Now back on topic: Outdoor Injuries and Close calls
I got into a hornet's nest while collecting firewood once. Yuck.

I've got a bum ankle from a childhood injury so I have re-sprained it on a number of occasions, but only some of those occasions were on-trail, the others were going down stairs in suburbia.

Our little one isn't walking yet and gets carried everywhere, so she hasn't suffered any injuries yet.

 

[Navman]

People definitely have a skewed sense on fear. I know parents that refuse to let the kids play outside in front of their house but let them play in the swimming pool by themselves. Guess which one causes the childhood deaths.

Injuries happen everywhere so don't worry about it. My son (now 8) has friends that never go outside and every Monday my son tells them what fun things he did. He has asked me several times why his friends dads don't do that kind of stuff with their kids.

So, take them out as much as possible. They'll thank you for it.

 

[lowenbrau]

I think it would be reasonable to be concerned about sharing a trail with 20 to 30 other people.

You should take your family out of the city where it is safe.

 

[dport]

I don't see where you're from, but based on your comments, I'll take a guess: Are people wigging out because of concerns over mountain lions?

If so, just tell 'em to relax. Keep your kids close and stay alert so you don't stumble right up on one. The frequency of human attacks is very low, but they get news... Remind your critics how many people are attacked by Moose every year. Or vending machines.

If they're freaking out over something OTHER than mountain lions, then I'm lost for an explanation (unless you're in Moose country, see above). Animals, Reptiles and (for the most part) insects aren't much of a danger in North America. We have few poisonous critters, and those that are tend to be the non-aggressive type. Biting flying insects are a problem at certain latitudes, but none of those are lethal, just ranging from annoying to painful. Human-on-human violence in such low-population areas is rare, even more so when said humans are in a group.

Sounds to me like you're doing right by your little one.

Now back on topic: Outdoor Injuries and Close calls
I got into a hornet's nest while collecting firewood once. Yuck.

I've got a bum ankle from a childhood injury so I have re-sprained it on a number of occasions, but only some of those occasions were on-trail, the others were going down stairs in suburbia.

Our little one isn't walking yet and gets carried everywhere, so she hasn't suffered any injuries yet.

I'm in central AL, no Mtn lion concerns here, atleast that anyone knows about. There are a cpl mtn lions here, but 99% of ppl don't believe it. People are just scared of anything, I guess they're the same ppl who won't get further than 5 miles from home without a cellphone and a car with less than 60K miles on it

 

[dport]

I think it would be reasonable to be concerned about sharing a trail with 20 to 30 other people.

You should take your family out of the city where it is safe.

We were in a large nice state park that is surrounded by suburbia. We haven't got him too far into the wilderness yet, but hope to in the next month.

 

[Bernie]

Yeah, people have a very skewed sense of fear, especially with kids.

This.

I was that way with my first child, the first ow, scream, tears, I was there like fricken Batman, first responder bag in hand. By the third one it was, If its not an arterial bleed or a compound fracture, put a band aid on it.

 

[matt s]

People here think your weird if you leave the kids behind. One of first purchases was a baby backpack for hiking.

Injuries so far, nothing a band aid didn't cure.

 

[datrupr]

My daughter has never had an incident when we were in the wild. She has gotten more owies from home or the school playground. When my son comes, as soon as he can hold his head up we are going on bumpies to a nice secluded spot in the wild.

 

[Ruffin' It]

I'm with everyone else - serve as an example to others of what you can do with your kids, not what you can't. You are the kind of dad that all the other kids are wishing they had. The kids that are sitting at home on the couch slowly going diabetic from junk food and video games are at much more risk.

Wanted to ask, what kind, if any injuries the little ones have had while in the outdoors? We took our 5 month old on his first hike to a local waterfall, and it seems quite a few ppl are freaking out about it. We were very safe about it and had 4 other adults with us. I kept one large guy (240lbs) in front of me and a person on my heels, just in case. There were also 20-30 other ppl on the trail if anything were to happen, but I felt that he was compltely safe the entire time. I really think he was safer on the trail than riding in the car on the way there. So lets hear about your mishaps, close calls and lessons learned.