While just the sound of the word “summer” allows most parents to breathe a sigh of relief, this is not the time to let your guard down. In fact, summer time, more than any time of year, is when parents should remain the most vigilant and properly educated about child safety.
Win the Sun Battle
Don’t let the sun stand a chance. Show him who’s boss by using a sun screen with a minimum SPF 15. Look for “broad spectrum” on the label to protect against both UVA and UVB rays, and reapply every two hours or after swimming and sweating. “Use extra caution near water and sand,” says Malvina Duncan - injury prevention nurse and Safe Kids Miami-Dade County coordinator, “as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.”
When spending time in the sun, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing and a hat with a three-inch brim or a cap with the brim facing forward. “Stay in the shade whenever possible to limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours – between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” Duncan says.
Keep children hydrated by encouraging them to drink water before and after outdoor activity. For every 20 minutes of play, 10 gulps or 5 ounces of water (double that for a teenager) should be consumed.
Symptoms of dehydration and exhaustion might include dizziness, light-headedness, nausea, headaches and heat cramps. It may also be a warning sign if a child should be sweating but is dry and hot instead.
Infants and small children should be especially careful in the heat, as they are the most vulnerable to heatstroke because their body temperatures don’t regulate the same way an adult’s does, Duncan says. Heat stroke is the leading cause of non-crash, vehicle-related deaths for children. In fact, “Every 10 days a child dies in the United States from heat stroke from being left in a hot car, often unintentionally,” states Duncan. Help prevent these accidents by visiting safekids.org to learn the ACT acronym.
Little Bites, Big Problems?
Not necessarily. If you know how to prevent insect bites, as well as how to treat the sting or itch they leave behind, bug bites can be less of a pain than one may think. Insect repellent is a great way to keep those pesky insects away, but make sure that products for children contain no more than 30 percent DEET, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. Using a repellent on children under two-years-old is not advised. However, parents can help minimize bites on small children by dressing them in long-sleeved, breathable clothing.
Try to eliminate the presence of standing water around the house and keep these areas sprayed, says Tashara Jean, ARNP at Jessie Trice Community Health Center in Miami. Most importantly, avoid the outdoors during dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most prevalent.
To help with insect bite irritation, Jean suggests keeping cortisone cream in your purse and at home, as well as liquid Benadryl for children 6 to 12 in the medicine cabinet.
For at-home remedies, try a cold compress on the bite. Or make a paste with baking soda and saline or dry oatmeal and water to apply to the site of irritation. For bee stings, make sure to remove the stinger with tweezers, as it contains venom.
More severe insect bites may require an emergency call. “If your child has a bite and starts to clear their throat or coughs or has a runny nose, call 911 immediately,” concludes Jean. Open mouth breathing and wheezing is also a sign that an emergency call should be made.
Leaves of Three, Let it Be
Remember the old adage? Knowing this catchy phrase can be helpful in identifying poison ivy and poison oak (poison sumac has 7 to 13 leaflets) when hiking or camping. Learning to identify the plants can be the first way to prevent exposure.
Wear protective clothing like long pants, long-sleeved shirts, high socks, and fully enclosed footwear.
Contact with a poisonous vine may cause the skin to become reddened, swollen, and blistered, with a rash (shaped like streaks or in patches) that will usually appear one to four days after exposure. Severe itching and burning sensations may also occur.
If there is contact, the AAP suggests washing clothes and shoes in soap and water. The exposed skin should be rinsed thoroughly for at least ten minutes after the plant or its oil has been touched.
Mild cases of poison ivy rash can be treated with soothing lotions (like calamine) and cool baths. Topical 1 percent hydrocortisone cream can decrease inflammation. If symptoms become more severe, call your pediatrician who may then prescribe an oral steroid.
“Any time a person comes into contact with anything, my recommendation for all parents and care givers is to have the number for poison control plugged into your phone,” says general pediatrician and assistant professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Miami, Dr. Oneith Cadiz. “If you are able to identify a plant or describe it, they can say if observation is appropriate at home or if they need to be taken to the emergency room.”
Keep Water Worry at Bay
According to the Florida Department of Health, Florida loses more children under age five to drowning than any other state.
For water safety, parents must remain vigilant at all times. “It’s all a matter of stopping it and seeing it before it happens,” says Craig Kirk, the director of water safety at Shake-A-Leg Miami.
Acclimate your child to the water through swim lessons or by simply holding your young child in the pool with you, Kirk continues. Teach your child about water safety from an early age. “Don’t instill a fear of the water,” says Kirk, “but also don’t make them overly confident when they are not prepared to do something around the water.”
For homes with pools the CDC recommends installing a four-sided fence and clearing the deck of toys. Avoid giving children a false sense of security with air-filled or foam toys, as they will not help them stay afloat. However, life jackets that fit properly, can be life-saving. They are required to be worn by children 12 and under on a boat.
Most importantly, know how to handle a situation if it occurs. “Do not create a panic, stay calm and call 9-1-1,” says Kirk. Finally, educate yourself and register for a CPR certification course.
No Rumbly in My Tumbly
Cookouts are a relaxing way to celebrate the summer. It’s important, however, to handle food properly.
Food poisoning (which includes symptoms of upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and dehydration) is often a result of “inadequate hand washing or lack of it,” says Paschell Wilson, nutrition program monitor and culinary instructor at Flipany.
It’s important to wash hands with antibacterial soap for at least 20 seconds and to wash your hands up to your elbows, says Paschell.
Cold foods should remain at a refrigerated temperature between 34 and 41 degrees. “Anything out of that temperature for more than 2 hours is where bacteria thrive,” Paschell says. When having a picnic, keep in mind that food set outside will heat up more quickly, so make sure cold products are the last things set out and the first things put away.
When transporting cold foods to a picnic, Paschell recommends putting them in a 3 inch or less container that is wrapped in plastic wrap. Put a little bit of water in the ice to keep food colder. When transporting meat, surround it with cold packs instead.
If you suspect your child has food poisoning, the AAP recommends limiting your child’s eating and drinking for 3 to 4 hours for infants and 6 to 8 hours for older children. If symptoms don’t improve, call the pediatrician for recommendations on treatment.
Keep these numbers on your fridge and in your wallet:
Poison prevention:
Call 1-800-222-1222, or Poison.org
*Visit poison.org to learn the poison prevention jingles in English or Spanish.
Food Safety (illness or food poisoning):
Call 1-888-SAFEFOOD, or visit Foodsafety.gov
Call 1-800-CDC-INFO, or visit cdc.gov
*This site can set you up for food recall alerts sent to your email address.
Emergency of any sort, don’t hesitate:
Call 9-1-1
Educate yourself:
Visit websites:
*Register for classes with the American Red Cross and become certified in CPR or First Aid.
*Visit redcross.org/take-a-class
*To stay on top of the latest child safety tips and advice.
*Visit aap.org (American Academy of Pediatrics) or safekids.org
*This article was originally published in The Children’s Trust Newsletter (thechildrenstrust.org)