|
Sun Protection |
Protection from sun exposure is important all year round, not just during the
summer or while at the beach. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can reach you not only on
bright and sunny days, but also on cloudy and hazy days. The most hazardous time
for UV exposure is during the hours of 10am and 4pm.
Protection for sunburn can be achieved by following a few easy steps: |
- Use sunscreen that blocks both UVA and UVB rays with a SPF of 15 or higher. (UVB
primarily causes sunburn and UVA penetrates the skin more deeply and contributes
to photoaging. Both UVA and UVB rays contribute to the development of skin
cancer.)
- Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before sun exposure and again every two hours
and/or after swimming or sweating. Try to purchase sun screen that is both
water-proof and sweat-proof. Check expiration date of sunscreen. If no
expiration date on package replace yearly. Do not store sunscreen in your car as
the heat deactivates the active ingredients.
- Sunscreen can be used on infants over the age of 6 months. Newborns should be
kept out of the sun, wear protective clothing, and be placed in shaded areas at
all times (these should be hard covered areas where there is no sun breakthrough
and for example not under a tree as the sun still does come through and can
cause sunburn).
- DO NOT COMBINE SUNSCREEN WITH DEET (PART OF INSECT REPELLANT) AS THE DEET WILL
DIMINISH THE EFFICACY OF THE SUNSCREEN!!!!!
- Wear protective clothing to cover exposed skin including hats and sunglasses and
seek shade as much as possible during the midday hours.
- On hot days make sure to drink plenty of fluids! Water is the best!
|
|
Insect Bites & Stings/Insect Repellent |
Insect bites/stings are very common and usually not a serious problem unless a
child is allergic to certain insect venoms. The most common insect bites during
the summer months are those of bees, wasps, mosquitoes, and ticks. In general
most bites/stings cause localized reactions including pain and swelling;
however, severe anaphylactic reactions are possible.
Treatment of insect bites/stings includes:
|
- Apply a cool compress or ice to the area to reduce swelling and pain. Keep in
mind swelling after an insect bite/sting can become worse on second or third day
after initial bite/sting.
- Can try calamine lotion, oral/topical antihistamines, or hydrocortisone to
relieve some of the itch and discomfort. (NEVER USE ORAL AND TOPICAL
ANTIHISTAMINES AT THE SAME TIME, SUCH AS BENADRYL/CALADRYL)
- If there is a bee sting and there is a stinger make sure to remove it as soon as
possible by gently scraping it off with a fingernail or horizontally with a
credit card. The longer the stinger remains in the skin, the more venom will be
pumped into the skin.
- Watch for signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction including hives and itching
all over the body, facial swelling, shortness of breath and difficulty
breathing, and loss of consciousness. If any of these do appear administer
Epi-Pen, if there is a known allergy, and call 911.
- Watch for signs and symptoms of infection including swelling that is not
improving within two or three days, fever, increased redness around bite/sting,
any discharge from the site, and foul odor at site.
- If there is a tick noticed on the skin, remove it as soon as possible. Ticks
would have to be attached to the skin for 24 hours before there would be a
concern for Lyme disease. Make sure to be able to identify a deer tick versus a
wood tick. A deer tick is more likely to be a carrier of Lyme disease. Wood
ticks are twice as large as deer ticks, are not as likely to carry Lyme disease
and can be identified by white marks near the head. In order to remove a tick
from the skin, grab it with tweezers and pull away from skin. Try not to twist
the tick as this may cause body parts to break off. If you have problems or
concerns schedule an office visit.
|
|
Prevention of insect bites/stings includes: |
- Wear protective clothing including long sleeve shirts and long pants when you
know there may be an exposure. Avoid bright clothing as the bright colors
attract more insects.
- Avoid areas where there may be a large number of insects. Get rid of any
standing water in your yard. Mosquitoes that transmit disease are more likely to
come out after dusk.
- Don’t use scented lotions, perfumes, or soaps.
- Apply insect repellant.
- Spray on clothing instead of directly on the skin.
- Can be used on kids over the age of one.
- Use repellant that is 10% DEET or DEET-FREE.
- Make sure to thoroughly wash clothing or skin that had repellant applied to it.
- DO NOT COMBINE DEET WITH SUNSCREEN AS THE DEET WILL DIMINISH THE EFFICACY OF THE
SUNSCREEN!!!!!
|
|
Water/Pool Safety |
During the summer months most adults and children enjoy spending time in the
pool and on the beach; however, precautions do need to be taken during these
times and also year round with any other water exposure.
Risk Factors/Prevention:
|
- Make sure children are supervised continuously. If possible have an adult who is
CPR certified supervise children. (Communicate well with other adults. Many
times one parent thinks that the other is watching the child.)
- Teach your older kids that there is no diving in lakes. This will help prevent
potential neck injuries. This is especially important if kids are making their
own decisions when away from parents such as at camp.
- If pool is at a home, install pool barriers such as pool fencing and remember to
lock all household doors, even if there is only a baby pool, so that the kids,
especially toddlers cannot get outside.
- Wear a life jacket at all times when you are on a boat, making sure it is a
proper size and put on correctly. Do not use inflatable toys or foam toys in
place of life jackets.
- Always swim or go in the water with someone else.
- Try swimming in areas near a lifeguard.
- Be aware of where all rescue equipment is located and how to properly use it.
- If any adult/child is sick refrain from swimming to prevent spreading of any
illness to others.
- Make sure to check diapers frequently and take children for potty breaks
frequently.
- As a reminder, do not leave your kids alone in the bath tub (or with one kid
supervising the other).
- ***REMEMBER*** JUST BECAUSE A CHILD KNOWS HOW TO SWIM DOES NOT MEAN THAT THEY
SHOULD SWIM ALONE, WITHOUT A LIFE JACKET, OR WITHOUT SUPERVISION. ACCIDENTS CAN
STILL HAPPEN.
|
|
Bicycle Safety |
Learning to ride a bicycle is a milestone all children are excited about
allowing to feel a sense of pride and freedom. Yet, very often safety
precautions are not taken and children can end up seriously injured or sometimes
accidents can be fatal. Wearing a helmet is necessary whenever a child rides a
bicycle even if it’s just for a few minutes.
Bicycle guidelines include: |
- Purchase appropriate age/size bicycles. Children can have a more difficult time
handling oversized bicycles and can be more prone to accidents such as landing
on the handle bars.
- A child’s first bicycle should include footbrakes since young children do not
yet have well developed hand muscles and the coordination to use hand brakes.
- Ride bicycles on the right with traffic since riding a bicycle facing traffic
can confuse or surprise drivers and cause an accident.
- Respect all traffic signals.
- Try riding a bicycle on bike paths or in quiet areas. Busy areas and
intersections along with bad weather can increase the risk of an accident.
- Infants under the age of one should not be carried as a passenger on bicycles as
they are too young to wear helmets due to their not yet well developed neck
structure.
|
|
Helmet Guidelines: |
- Purchase a helmet designed specifically for bikes or a multisport helmet, where
enough protection is available in case of a head first fall or high speed
accident. These helmets can be hard-shell or soft-shell as long as they comply
with the Consumer Product Safety Commission standards. (Bike shops are great
places to be fit for a helmet)
- Bike helmets are to be used for bike riding to provide the necessary protection
for the front of the head since most bike accidents involve falling head first.
Whereas, mulitsport helmets are to be used for sports/activities such as ice
skating, scooters, rollerblading, skiing, skateboarding, etc. to protect the
back of the head since most times during these activities the child ends up
hitting the back of the head during a fall.
- Purchase a helmet which is sized accordingly and has a chin strap. The helmet
once put on should not move around the head or slide down over the eyes.
- Helmets involved in a serious fall or crash should be replaced since adequate
protection may be no longer be provided.
- Never reuse someone else’s helmet as it may be too old to provide necessary
protection and also may have previously been in a crash.
- Remember, kids often need two helmets depending on what sports and/or activities
they may be involved in.
|
|
Playground Safety |
On warm days throughout the year playgrounds all across are filled with running
and excited children. Playgrounds are an excellent place for children to
exercise and have fun at the same time; however, precautions to need to be taken
to keep children safe at the playground.
Precautions to take:
|
- Make sure there is an adult available to supervise children at all times. Never
leave children alone at the park.
- Supervise children when they are climbing on playground equipment to prevent
possible falls and injuries.
- Set ground rules to prevent shoving, pushing, or fighting.
- Inspect all playground equipment making sure there are no loose screws, nuts, or
bolts, and no sharp objects.
- Be cautious of hot surfaces on hot days including those of slides and swings
which can cause burns.
- Kids under the age of 5 should play on separate playground equipment away from
the older children.
- Avoid trampolines even though they are fun since too many injuries occur on them
yearly including broken bones, head injuries, neck and spinal cord injuries,
sprains and bruises.
|
|
HAVE A HEALTHY AND SAFE SUMMER!!!!! |
 |
