August 19, 2026 | news post

Summer injuries in kids: What Dayton Children’s data shows and how to prevent them

Seasonal Snapshot: What we saw. What we can prevent.

That’s the idea behind Seasonal Snapshot: What we saw. What we can prevent., a new series from Dayton Children’s Hospital that uses patient injury data to identify seasonal trends and give families practical ways to keep kids safe.

The first Seasonal Snapshot looks at injuries treated at Dayton Children’s from May through July 2026. Three findings stood out: e-bike and e-scooter injuries, drowning and button battery ingestions.

on wheels: e-bike and e-scooter injuries are on the rise

From May through July, Dayton Children’s treated 137 children for e-bike and e-scooter-related injuries, including 16 involving cars or other vehicles.

The average age of children injured on e-bikes and e-scooters was 11 years old. Common injuries included injuries to the head, face, neck, shoulders and knees; broken arms, wrists and legs; and scrapes.

Helmet use remains an important opportunity for preventing injuries. Fewer than half of children with e-bike injuries and 18% with e-scooter injuries were documented as wearing a helmet. None of the nine children involved in an e-scooter versus traffic injury were documented as wearing a helmet.

The injuries can also be serious. So far in 2026, 22 children with e-bike or e-scooter injuries have been admitted to Dayton Children’s, compared with nine in all of 2025.

what can families do to prevent e-bike and e-scooter injuries?

Make a properly fitted helmet nonnegotiable for every ride. Follow manufacturer age recommendations, make sure children have the skills to safely operate the device and have them practice away from traffic before riding independently.

around water: drowning remains a risk for young children

Dayton Children’s treated 11 children for drowning incidents from May through July. Children ages 2 to 4 were most commonly involved. One child died.

Drowning can happen quickly and quietly, making active adult supervision critical whenever children are in or around water.

what can families do to prevent kids from drowning?

Designate an adult “water watcher” whose only job is to actively supervise children around water. Use appropriate life jackets and create multiple layers of protection, including barriers that prevent young children from accessing pools without an adult. Enroll kids in age-appropriate swim lessons

around the home: button batteries pose a hidden danger

Small enough to fit inside many everyday household items, button batteries can pose a serious risk to young children if swallowed.

Dayton Children’s treated four children for button battery ingestions from May through July. The average age was just 2 years old. Eleven button battery ingestions have been treated at Dayton Children’s so far in 2026.

Button batteries can be found in common household products, including remote controls, key fobs, toys and other small electronics.

what can families do to prevent button battery ingestions?

Keep loose batteries and devices containing button batteries out of reach of young children. Make sure battery compartments are secure and regularly check toys and household devices for loose or missing batteries. If you suspect a child swallowed a button battery, seek immediate medical attention.

using injury data to help keep kids safe

Summer is only the beginning of the Seasonal Snapshot series. Throughout the year, Dayton Children’s injury prevention team will review patient data to identify seasonal and emerging injury trends and share timely information with families and health care providers.

Learn more about injury prevention programs from Dayton Children’s, plus tips and resources for your family, including free car seat safety checks, Navigating Teen Driving Together, home safety and more.

injury prevention tips & resources

contact us

If you are interested in pursuing a story about Dayton Children’s please contact public relations manager, Katie Solovey, at 937-673-4941 or by filling out a media inquiry through our contact us form.

November 20, 2020 | news post

Dayton Children’s emergency department seeing new trends amidst pandemic

cases of burns, injuries at home and abuse on the rise

We’ve all felt the direct impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just like any other hospital, Dayton Children’s has also felt the impact in more ways than one, especially in our emergency department.

While our emergency department has been tasked with navigating a global pandemic, it has also dealt with a dramatic change in volumes of certain injuries.

“We’ve seen an increase in several specific injuries since the pandemic started, including serious burns, injuries at home and abuse,” says Lisa Schwing, RN, manager, trauma program at Dayton Children’s. “As we continue to spend more time inside at home due to colder weather, we want to encourage caregivers to take proper precautions to be safe at home. Remain diligent in taking safety above and beyond.”

From April 1 – July 7, 2020, the emergency department trauma program has seen:

-Serious burns were up nearly 700%. That’s right, seven times. The majority of these burns involved teens throwing accelerants, like paint cans, into a fire to see the explosion.

-Many injuries that came through the trauma department were a result of kids and families “making their own fun,” as vacations and sports seasons were cancelled. Trampoline injuries were up 27% and ATV, go-cart, golf cart and dirt bike accidents were up 29%.

-Sadly, abuse, and possible abuse, cases were up 80%. This is a well-documented phenomenon and mirrors what the hospital sees around Christmastime. Holidays alter routines and bring people together for longer periods. Compounded with the stress of working/not working, child care availability, financial strain, the increase in cases of child abuse were feared, but not unexpected.

“What we didn’t see was the usual injuries related to organized sports and other playground injuries,” said Schwing. “The playgrounds had yellow police tape and organized sports for the spring/summer months were mostly cancelled. The lack of structure resulted in traumas presenting later in the night and a rise in cases involving older children.”

The trauma program at Dayton Children’s received its Level 1 verification from the American College of Surgeons on November 6, 2019. This is the highest level attainable, proving once again to parents that they can rely on Dayton Children’s to provide the best care for their child, even in the toughest circumstances.

Dayton Children’s is the fourth level 1 pediatric trauma center in Ohio and on track to exceed 1,000 pediatric trauma patients in 2020. As we continue to live with COVID-19 and its impact on the greater Dayton community, the comprehensive trauma program at Dayton Children’s, comprised of everyone from surgeons to social workers, is here to help.