Every year, young children are involved in automobile accidents and sports-related injuries. If the adult in the vehicle is seriously injured, unable to talk or not present, those responding to the emergency have no easy way of identifying the child. But, two new programs offer added protection through identification.

W.H.A.L.E. (We Have A Little Emergency)
Wisconsin law requires all youngsters under 4 years of age or up to 40 pounds be seated and harnessed in an approved child safety seat when riding in a car. The safety seat can provide vital information about its young occupant in the unfortunate event that the driver of the car is incapacitated in a car accident. W.H.A.L.E. stickers are placed on both rear side windows of the car and on both sides of the child safety seat so emergency personnel will know immediately there is vital information about the child on the back of the car seat. The W.H.A.L.E sticker includes the child's name, medical history, names and telephone numbers of two guardians and up to three emergency names and telephone numbers.

That’s Using Your Head
That’s Using Your Head is a sports helmet identification program designed to provide identification to emergency personnel in the event of
an injury or emergency. Helmets are a critical piece of equipment for safety during all sports such as bicycling, inline skating, baseball, rock climbing or skateboarding. That’s Using Your Head includes a large emergency information sticker to be placed on the inside of a helmet and a smaller sticker for the outside of the helmet. Stickers will help with emergency identification and medical safety information in a crisis situation.

Children’s Medical Group-Bayshore Pediatrics provides both W.H.A.L.E. and That’s Using Your Head packets to local North Shore police and fire departments for distribution during car seat installations and to parents and children through clinic visits, day care centers and preschools.

Sharyl Paley, MD, FAAP, is a pediatrician at Children’s Medical Group-Bayshore Pediatrics.

FAST FACT: Children’s Medical Group physicians provide primary and behavioral care for children in 18 clinics throughout southeastern Wisconsin. In addition, CMG oversees school-based health centers located in central city Milwaukee Public Schools. Find a local pediatrician at www.childrensmedicalgroup.org.