[blParent] Fwd: Normalizing Conversations Around Safer Gun Storage

Tue Jun 13 19:27:34 UTC 2023

Hello all:

I thought this is a good resource to share about gun safety with our
children.

Thanks, Stacie
Chair, Blind Parents Group
National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania

*Stacie Leap*
stacie.leap at gmail.com | 215.776.6741

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia <news at health.chop.edu>
Date: Tue, Jun 13, 2023 at 2:04 PM
Subject: Normalizing Conversations Around Safer Gun Storage
To: <stacie.leap at gmail.com>

Gun injuries are now the leading cause of death for children and teens.
Here’s how to have conversations with friends and family about safer gun
storage.
View this email in your browser.
<https://view.health.chop.edu/?qs=6750d2c1766288f447ca47de4408f017081f24cf07c95b19f5827361e5feb52941152a064bea32492c396d34613abe576eb9bad3e302c9fb888eedd25aa37d90ec67c8c11016f60f0f44b545b913b110>
[image: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia]
[image: Children’s Health Tips with stethoscope illustration]
Speak Up: CHOP Toolkit Promotes Conversations Around Safer Gun Storage
*Contributing Expert:* Dorothy Novick, MD
<https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb69ded201596ccc2965ac1be0a0934898a7c3edbd5403b8678c1be5ffd009d36c17f0701de69ef9698ecb419c8dea7cbd9f>
[image: Image of child getting throat checked]
A Quick Look:

   - Gun injuries are now the leading cause of death
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb695853c266002bd9fae854736bc390c890ab75223eca9bcab1d1bf56c841e7bed9ef39010d32bbf00dfac0a029604ed7fd>
   for children and teens ages 1 to 19.
   - Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has partnered with
   thousands of hospitals on "It Doesn’t Kill to Ask
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb69c128342761cfdc37aa57dc92aa1c430c1cad55d52de235be750789864cc0c963345b76b95062c55cf900a170741424e1>,”
   a national campaign to normalize and depolarize conversations about safer
   gun storage.
   - This initiative is part of a comprehensive strategy at CHOP’s Center
   for Violence Prevention
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb69fe235e004c38ba2d7338d0a2ebf228cb9721ca6f61b53b06a0b166e8c731a129628dafb1db2eeae0a38373bb6a500cb9>
   to promote safer storage and limit youth access to firearms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), guns are now the leading
cause of death among children ages 1 to 19
<https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb691f5adb91e882f67c5dcea7eab88e9aad7976fb3329b6f1801aa384843383d11cfb9ee1583f5dc7ae0f039daa6b74e91a>
— a statistic that includes firearm deaths by unintentional injury, suicide
and homicide. At the same time, gun ownership has risen significantly since
2020.

When youth have access to firearms, they have a dramatically increased risk
of firearm injury and death. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) has
joined forces with thousands of hospitals on “It Doesn’t Kill to Ask,”
<https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=add0c4c8aa47fb6931882141d1477e19522e74bdc6824edf9f035c8c56dfdb0c8ead4819893f6f069175beae1eb2f6d8f4c800af9ba7823b>
a nationwide initiative to normalize conversations about safer gun storage.

“We want to incorporate this concept of safer firearm storage into our
general safety recommendations for families,” says Dorothy R. Novick, MD
<https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d0c2a155efafa5e0f4fa79d753b1d818bc47fc0a3f73eda85b36634338522fafc8828d6050882cf27e231ef9e6d755920>,
a pediatrician at CHOP Primary Care, South Philadelphia
<https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d2e7e6f6d19df908ae89897d9383b451ddceade7ddac9bc22b69377f18c26bd637e9353b356333206e0de240a6fe34875>.
“This is not a political conversation. This is a conversation about keeping
your kids safe.”
Children and guns by the numbers

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) says removing firearms from the
home is the most protective measure families can take. Yet pervasive gun
ownership is a fact of life in the United States, and easy access to
firearms puts children and adolescents at an increased risk of
unintentional shootings and suicide.

Statistics draw a clear picture of the risk:

   - An estimated 4.6 million children in the U.S.
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d169fa502251481f4da6a96013bcea170eaf0745d0bbdcb67dceb8b7cefa3455e6f0c3d2ae8bc1c9e444bd53c9a0856e0>
   live in a home with at least one loaded, unlocked firearm.
   - Even when guns are hidden in the home, 75% of youth ages 5 to 14 know
   where the weapons are kept.
   - Every day, 13 kids are killed by guns
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812dfb2ce57ab9d8d9d86076265b5a346335c4cd9cfb346ec4754642db08c5f70911a7e01f76aa40a12a0b38ae6a8fe0973c>,
   and 8 children are shot unintentionally
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d9d63e15ef7b19bc08751eb66adc70eb02ff1ab7e18fddb9e64daa9d422735b1a1a45cdb42e0574bf3161f201f9c7cfc9>
   because of an improperly stored or misused gun in the home.
   - Easy access to guns presents a heightened risk to adolescents who
   harbor suicidal thoughts. More than 80% of teens who attempt suicide with a
   firearm use a family member’s gun
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812dc2dfaaf16335b4f241ba9b60408855119e851578d8166c8ccca67026bf945e56d1905ed9a75e78904b7a080df5565565>.
   And unlike other means of suicide, attempts with firearms are fatal nine
   times out of 10.

Start the safe gun storage conversation with friends and family“It Doesn’t
Kill to Ask” has published print, digital and broadcast public-service
messages that promote safer gun storage, and offers a toolkit to help
parents and caregivers initiate conversations with friends and family.
Sample scripts and social media posts take the stress out of wondering how
to broach the subject.

Dr. Novick suggests a matter-of-fact approach that mirrors how you’d ask
about other safety concerns, such as bike helmets, car seats or parental
supervision during play dates. Make it a habit to ask about any unlocked
guns before your child goes on a play date or visits another home. If the
answer is “No,” you’ll have one less worry. If it’s “Yes,” consider meeting
in another location or offer to host the play date at your house. Part of a
larger community effortCHOP has studied the risks of gun violence for
children and youth, and offers common-sense guidance to families about ways
to limit youth access to guns. In addition to joining this national
campaign, CVP, along with CHOP’s Office of Community Impact, partners with
local organizations to provide firearm safety education and free locking
devices in communities where people live. In addition, CVP has launched a
program to deliver these resources at the point of health care at several
CHOP locations. How to keep firearms safer and secured at home Teaching
kids to stay away from firearms is always a good idea, but it's important
to know this is not enough to keep them safe. If you choose to have guns in
the house, store them unloaded and locked (and ideally, disassembled).
Ammunition should be stored and locked separately. Only adults should know
how to access these storage spaces.

Locking options include cable locks, lockboxes and gun safes. All are
available online or where guns are sold. Cable locks are the least
expensive option and may be available for free. A cable lock might keep a
gun safe from an inquisitive young child, but it might not deter a more
determined adolescent. A gun safe is the most secure option and can be used
with a separate safe or lockbox, in another part of the house, for the
ammunition. For more information

   - It Doesn’t Kill to Ask
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d84b9654469abd1ca158c9e065afe14462dddd9b2a431796ed5cdcdf99ea3c70ac089e5563d6e65e5f7b101e7467732a5>.
   Hospitals United
   - Gun Safety Tips
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d0d869883c71f21b6821798d60ea6ba5198629b3e0c5d36c0ce1197d1b8764e207a67a63afd333fc7d630ccb6c9bb520b>.
   Injury Prevention Program, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
   - Gun Safety Program at CHOP
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812d3d1b4e0a875decb54fb64a7b332094dbabebe8f681ade83cd94be331ca09216870af381cd94481c768f38119c4e2bef7>.
   Center for Violence Prevention, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
   - Gun Safety Fact Sheet
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=35797876f6bb812df2c58f743aaaba99400d59dea771846b0361f3fe99481aab6213ab044ce46c05ada7b2e31d12140e5b928e82346a3b8b>.
   Center for Violence Prevention, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
   - Guns in the Home
   <https://click.health.chop.edu/?qs=c8b8e8eac055486e2e100df8c3019b2135eb463e258bc2ea17f864cb361f1bd045ead763a0a4a420aa097cc3de78822330c0652d767c31fc>.
   American Academy of Pediatrics

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