Kids and adolescents most prone to electric shock accidents

When your kids were children, you probably took all the necessary precautions to keep them safe in your home. This likely including placing covers over electrical outlets and teaching your children to never put foreign objects into an open electrical socket.

Making your children aware of threats in the home is, in some ways, easier than educating them on threats outside of the home. Electrical currents in the home are typically milder than others in outside properties. This can greatly heighten the danger of a shock.

A tragic example

Electrical shock tragically killed two teenagers in April who were trying to rescue a dog from a canal when the two boys touched a piece of metal that had exposed live wires. Police found the boys in the field days later.

Children and adolescents are particularly involved in many electrical shock accidents each year. Research says that children under 12 years old comprise 63 percent of all electrical shock victims, while adolescents are vulnerable to these accidents because they are more curious by nature.

Caring for a shock victim

Identifying electrical shock injuries is as easy as spotting a burn on the hand or part of the body where it contacted the electrical current. Injuries can be more severe in the case of falls and lead to internal injuries. Shortness of breath and chest pains after an electrical accident are possible signs of an internal injury.

If you come across someone who may be a shock victim, it’s best not to try to be a hero. You should check the immediate area for a fallen power line or other live wire that could pose a threat. It’s important to remember to never move a person that may have a neck or back injury because moving them could worsen their condition. The best course of action from here would be to call 9-1-1 and let the professionals handle it.

You can do your part by teaching your children or teenagers that electrical cords are not toys and to inform an adult when they find a damaged electrical cord anywhere. Preventing every cause of electrical shock may not be possible but heightened awareness could decrease many accidents.