![]() They need to be told-and probably reminded again and again-that in real life, children are killed and hurt badly by guns. Make sure your children understand that gun violence they may see on TV, in movies, and in video games they play at home or friends' homes is not real. Remind your kids that if they ever come across a gun, they must stay away from it and tell you immediately. Just as you'd ask about pets, allergies, supervision and other safety issues before your child visits another home, add one more important question: "Is there an unlocked gun in your house?" If there is, reconsider allowing your child to play there or talk to them about keeping the guns unloaded and locked. Here's how to help ensure your children and their playmates do not come across an unsecured gun while they play: Add this question to your playdate checklist.Įven if you don't have guns in your own home,Īsk about guns and safe storage at the other homes they visit. That's why it is also important to make sure your kids are safe when they spend time where other people live. More than a third of all unintentional shootings of children take place in the homes of their friends, neighbors or relatives. How to keep your kids safe in other homes No matter how much instruction you may give about how to safely shoot a gun, children are not capable or responsible enough to handle a potentially lethal weapon. As much as a child may want to take a turn shooting, this is not a good idea. Before setting the gun down, always unload it. When using a gun for hunting or target practice, keep the safety catch in place until you are ready to fire it. And remember not to keep loaded, unlocked guns in the car, or anywhere else on your property, either. Make sure children and teens can't access the keys or combinations to lock boxes or gun safes. Locked and unloaded, with ammunition locked separately. You can reduce the chances of children being injured, however, by following important safety rules: Safe gun storage If you decide to keep guns in the home, be aware that many studies show that teaching kids about gun safety, or to not touch a firearm if they find one, is not enough. What to do if you do keep a gun in your home The most effective way to prevent unintentional gun injuries, suicide and homicide to children and adolescents, research shows, is the absence of guns from homes and communities. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that the safest home for a child is one without guns. Not only that, but 58% of shooting deaths in children and teens are homicides. The risk of homicide is three times higher when there are guns in the home. Nine out of 10 of these suicides were with guns that the victims accessed at their own homes or from a relative's home. In the past decade, 40% of the suicides committed by kids and teens involved guns. Suicide rates in this population are four times higher than for kids who live in homes without guns. ![]() Suicide when there is a gun in the home too. Kids and adolescents are at an increased risk for And at least 895 preschoolers and toddlers managed to find a gun and unintentionally shoot themselves of someone else during this time. ![]() These resulted in 1,083 deaths and 1,815 nonfatal gun injuries, nearly all among other kids. In homes with guns, the likelihood of accidental death by shooting is four times higher.Ģ,802 unintentional shootings by children age 17 and younger. Unintentional shootings happen to children of all ages. ![]() Read on to learn how to keep your child safe. And the reality is that having firearms in the home increases the risk of unintentional shootings, suicide and homicide. Firearms are now the leading cause of death for U.S. ![]()
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