With each new skill -- crawling,
walking, climbing, running -- children love to explore. It
means there are more ways they can get into trouble! Much of this
trouble will be small.
But, if there is a gun in the house, a
child's curiosity could lead to severe injury or death.
Fact: In the United
States, one in three homes have at least one gun.
Fact: Nearly 40% of
U.S. homes with children have a gun.
Fact: Most 5- and
6-year-olds are strong enough to pull the trigger on the average
handgun. And one out of four 3- and 4-year-olds is strong
enough!
WHEN IT COMES TO GUNS, PARENTS
CAN'T BE TOO CAREFUL!
Parents Need to A.S.K. --Asking Saves
Kids
Even if you do not own a gun, ask your
neighbors, friends, and family -- the places where your child
will be -- if they have a gun.
- If the answer is NO…that's one less thing you have to worry
about.
- If the answer is YES…keep your child away from homes where
there are guns or where guns are not safely stored.
Some people may not agree with you, but
it's important to discuss your concerns. The following tips will
make asking about guns easier:
- Bring up the topic of guns when you talk about other health and
safety issues such as safety belts, pets and other animals, or
allergies.
- Share the facts that you know about gun safety. Let people know
you are not judging them. You just want to make sure your child is
safe.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
"With so much violence, isn't it safer for me to
have a handgun in my home?"
No. In homes with
handguns, it is much more likely that the handgun will be used in a
suicide, domestic dispute, or accidental shooting than in
self-defense.
Shootings at home often occur when:
- a depressed teenager or adult becomes suicidal
- an argument between family members gets out of control
- a friend or family member is mistaken for an intruder
Every year, thousands of
Americans are seriously injured or killed in these
situations.
"Can't I just
teach my child not to touch the gun?"
No. Children need
protection from guns.
- As infants become toddlers, exploring and playing are the ways
they learn about the world.
- Young children simply do not understand how dangerous guns can
be. Even well behaved children find that their curiosity can
overcome their parents' warnings.
- Young children are not able to tell the difference between toy
guns and real guns. Many times guns and/or shootings on TV don't
look dangerous or deadly.
"Can't I just hide my gun
away from my child?"
No. A child's urge to explore and
discover is very strong.
- Every day in America, three children, on average, are severely
disabled when they find the gun that someone thought was hidden.
- The only safe way to hide a gun is to lock it away.
- In one mother's words: "My brothers both admitted as adults
that when they were children they would go in my dad's room and
take out the gun and play with it. My younger brother would
actually find the clip."
PROTECTING YOUR CHILD FROM GUN INJURY
This tip card is part of a series
originated by R. Sege, MD, PhD, The Floating Hospital for Children
and New England Medical Center/Tufts University School of Medicine,
Boston, MA, and developed with the Massachusetts Medical Society's
Committee on Violence.
Adapted with permission from the
American Academy of Pediatrics Violence Intervention and Prevention
Project, "Your Child Is On the Move: Reduce the Risk of Gun
Injury."
