According to the 2016 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, Phoenix, Arizona, is the 5th largest city in the country, with approximately 1.7 million people living within city limits. Would you be surprised to learn that this is the same number of children in the U.S. today who live in a home with an unlocked and loaded gun?
In the United States, the third overall leading cause of death of children ages 17 or younger is firearm-related injuries, and the majority of these unintentional deaths occur in the home. Considering more than 90 percent of all gun-related deaths in high-income countries in the world occur in the U.S., and 1 in 3 homes have guns in them, it is imperative parents understand how to approach gun safety for their children. As a trauma surgeon who has told too many mothers and fathers their child is dead, and as a mother myself, here is what I recommend:
[See: The 5 Latest Poison Control Threats Kids Face.]
1. Talk to your children. First things first, have an honest conversation with your children — whether you own a gun or not. Children are frequently and almost inevitably exposed to images of guns and gun violence at a young age through television, movies and video games. Children need to understand the very serious difference between guns and violence on a screen versus guns and violence in real life. They should clearly understand that real guns have no role in pretend play, even if they think the gun is unloaded. If you do own a gun, your children should know. Regardless of how well you think the gun is hidden, we know that children are well able to find “hidden” items, and the statistics show that 3 out of 4 children know where guns are kept in their homes. It is far better for children to be aware a gun is in their home and taught about gun safety than for them to find one on their own and be unaware of the harm it can do.
2. Teach your children. Any conversation you have with your child about guns should include educating them about what to do if they see or find a gun. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends teaching your children a four-step practice if they encounter a gun:
— Stop what you are doing.
— Do not touch the gun or any parts of the gun.
— Leave the area where the gun was found.
— Tell an adult immediately.
[See: 10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health.]
3. Talk to other parents. Again: Approximately one-third of homes in the United States have a gun inside. The ASK (Asking Saves Kids) Campaign is a result of collaboration between the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence and advocates for parents to ask about the presence of unlocked guns in homes their children will be visiting. In the same way parents talk to other parents about house rules, supervision, internet use and/or food allergies before children visit, they should also ask about the presence of guns in the home. Although some parents have expressed hesitancy about offending the parents of their children’s friends, an offended parent is always better than an injured or dead child. All parents must be open, honest and receptive to this type of conversation, just as they would be receptive to a conversation about a severe peanut allergy. It’s not about judgment; it’s about safety.
4. Lock them up. As much as all parents (myself included) desperately wished our children followed every bit of advice or rule presented to them, they just do not. Even when children are told not to touch or play with guns, they do. If you choose to own a gun in your home, the safest way to keep any child safe is to keep the gun locked and unloaded, with ammunition also locked and in a separate location. And when the gun is not locked, as in times of cleaning or maintenance, the gun should be kept under your direct supervision at all times and never left unattended. Even if your child knows not to touch the gun, it does not mean that every child who enters your home knows or understands that, too.
[See: The 11 Most Dangerous Places in Your Home for Babies and Small Kids.]
Every child’s death is a tragedy, but when that death is preventable, the heartache is only magnified. As a trauma surgeon and parent, I am acutely aware of how lives can change in an instant. Although we cannot control what circumstances our children will face, we can control what we teach them, and we must teach them about gun safety. Their lives depend on it.
More from U.S. News
10 Concerns Parents Have About Their Kids’ Health
The 5 Latest Poison Control Threats Kids Face
What Every Parent Needs to Know About Guns originally appeared on usnews.com
