How Summer Safety Tips for Kids Can Help You Predict the Future

The sun is shining high and you are sweating bucketfuls , Yep! It is summertime! With demands for ice lollies and ice-creams, the kids seem supercharged and are on the go…running about on the beach, swimming in the pool…it’s time for all that and much more. But, with all the fun, summer brings the risks like heatstroke and others. Let us help you make this a safe summer for your kids Sunny Goodness.

Precautions for Babies Under 6 Months

The main recommendation from AAP( America Academy of Pediatrics) is to dress your baby up in lightweight clothes which cover his hand’s legs and neck. You can try cotton pants and longs-sleeved shirts. Try your level best to keep the baby out of the sun and if you are unable to find shade, you can apply a minimal amount of sunscreen with at least an SPF of 15. Apply the sunscreen to the face and the back of the hands. If the baby still gets a sunburn, apply the cold compress to the affected area.

Precaution for Other Children

• The best line of precaution when outside is to stay in the shade whenever possible and avoid the sun during its peak intensity hours ie. between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.
• Gear up with summer wear- hats with a 3-inch brim facing outward, sunglasses( look for glasses that provide 97% to 100% protection) and clothing with a tight weave, bring it all out!
• It doesn’t matter whether it is a cloudy day or a sunny day, do not forget to apply that sunscreen for UVA and UVB protection. Use one with an SPF of 15 at least.
• One ounce of sunscreen per sitting is the adequate amount for a young adult.
• Reapply the sunscreen every two hours or after sweating profusely or swimming.
• Extra caution to be used near water and sand as they reflect the UV rays which result in sunburn quickly.

Heat-Stress due to Exercise

• If the heat or the humidity has reached critically high levels, then the intensity of the activities that last for more than 15 mins should be reduced.
• At the beginning of some strenuous exercise program or after travelling to a place with a warmer climate, the intensity and duration of the activities should increase gradually over 7 to 14 days instead of all at once.
• Kids should always drink freely and lots of any physical activity and shouldn’t feel thirsty.During the activity, about one hour into it, only water is fine.Your kids should always have an energy drink o water handy while undertaking these activities.
• Summer calls for lightweight as well as light coloured clothing with only one absorbent layer to facilitate evaporation. Sweat soaked shirts should be immediately replaced by dry clothes.
• Games played in heat should be shortened with frequent water breaks. If any child feels dizzy or nauseated, he/she should be immediately moved to the cooler environment.

Heat-Stress in Infants

Infants cannot regulate their body temperature like us adults. Hence, every year babies die due to heat stroke especially due to being left in the car. Therefore while travelling with an infant in your car, keep these points in your mind-

• When you arrive at your destination always check the backseat to make sure that all the children are out of the car.
• Avoid distractions while driving, especially the use of your mobile.
• Be especially aware of your kids if someone else is driving them to the child care or if you are taking a different route.
• Ask the child care to inform you immediately if your child has not arrived withing ten minutes of the expected time.
• Place your mobile or purse in the backseat so that you absolutely have to check the back seat.
• Never leave a child alone in the car for the temperature in the car can reach alarming levels even if the outside temperature is not that high. So, prevent the children from getting into the car when you are no thereby locking the car doors.

Safety Pool

• Do not leave children alone in or near a pool or spa, closely supervise them and be a responsible adult.
• Whenever kids less than the age of 5 years is near a pool or any other water body, an adult who knows CPR should preferably be near to provide ‘touch supervision’.
• Construct a fence, preferably at least 4 ft high, around the entire pool if you have a pool in your house. The fence should not have any openings and that a child could use to go over or under.
• The pool gate should self-close and self-latch at a height that the kids cannot reach. There should be alarms on the gate which should go off when someone opens it.
• Keep all the barriers and alarms for the pool in good repair and always in working order.
• The safest pools are the ones which are surrounded by the fence on all four sides, separating them from the rest of the house. For additional security, get windows installed overlooking the pool.
• Keep rescue equipment like a shepherd’s hook and a life jacket handy at all times.Choose a shepherd’s hook made up of a material that is a non-conductor of electricity.
• inflatable swimming aids like ‘floaties’ are not reliable and give the parents  and the kids a false sense of security.
• Babies less than the age of 1 may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal training for swimming but there is no evidence to show that this is true.
• The decision to train a child over the age of one year in the art of swimming should be solely the parents’ but training the child shouldn’t be seen as ‘drown-proofing’ the child.
•  Prevent entrapment- Suction from pool and spa drains may trap the underwear and pull your child under, o do not use a pool or spa with broken drains or missing drain covers.
• Inflatable, above ground pools, have become increasingly popular but may prove dangerous as your child may fall into it while leaning against the soft sides. So, even if you have one of those, please install a fence around it like a normal pool.
• If a child is missing, immediately look for him/her in the spa or pool.
• Share safety instructions with friends, family, and neighbours so that you can call on them for help or help them in need.

Boat Safely

• Wearing life jackets when on a boat is absolutely necessary.
• The life jacket worn by your child should not be loose, should be the right size, should be well fitted and should be worn properly as instructed.
• It is not recommended to use blow-up wings, mattresses or any other such thing as flotation devices.
• Adults should wear life jackets for their own safety as well as to set a good example.
• Adolescents and adults should be warned about boating under the influence of alcohol or even some prescription medicines.

Swimming in Open Water

• Always have a swim buddy, never swim alone.
• A lifeguard or some other adult who knows about water rescue should be keeping a watch on the children for the time that they are in or near the water. Younger children should be under ‘touch supervision’ and should not be more than an arms length away.
• Never allow your child to dive in the water without checking the depth yourself.
• Ocean swimming should be allowed only when a lifeguard is on duty.
• Children should be taught about ‘rip currents’. In case that they are caught in a rip current, they are supposed to swim parallel to the shore until they escape it and then should swim towards the shore.

Bug Nuisance

yep, we are talking about those blood sucking critters which fill in the summer days as well as nights. Here are some suggestions s to how to stay safe from them-

• Spray the children’s clothes and exposed skin with insect repellent spray and repeat when it gets washed off.
• Every kid responds differently to a bug bite, so monitor your child if he is bitten and if he has an allergic reaction, seek medical attention immediately.
• There are certain serious bug-borne diseases that you should be aware of. Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a mosquito-transmitted disease which does not show any symptom.But the good news it that it is rare and is mostly found in swampy areas where human population is limited. Another such virus is West Nile which you will hear about when the heat is on. If your child is suffering from either of these, there will be flu-like symptoms and you should go to a doctor immediately.
• warm, moist and woodsy areas are where ticks thrive. The ideal thing to do would be fully covered in these areas but it is hard to do in the sweltering heat. The other way round is to shower your kids within two hours of them coming indoors and then check them. Clothes should be washed even if they do not seem dirty enough to be washed. The are to be checked are not just forearms and legs:  under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, back of the knees, in and around the hair, between the legs, around the waist, etc. If a child develops any rash or fever after a tick bite, visit the doctor.

Prevent Injuries

It is important to head off injuries. Children participate in activities like biking, skateboarding etc more during the summer, so a helmet is necessary. This helmet should be properly fitted and CPSC approved. Take your child out to choose the helmet and do not forget to fasten the chin strap!

Prepare a Summer Survival Kit

In the summers when your kids have double the energy, you need to be doubly prepared too. So, why don’t you vamp up that first-aid box of yours and make it into a ‘summer-survival-kit’? The following are the things that we would recommend for the kit.

• Benadryl
• An epi-pen for a person with known allergies
• Sun protection
• Hats and sunglasses
• Insect repellent
• Tweezers
• Cell phone
• Water
• Medicines for chronic conditions
• Bandages
• Antibiotic cream for cuts and scrapes
• Crushable ice-pack for bruises.

This is too much info to take in but it is all it is and is only meant to provide more information. So, do not get overwhelmed by it. Take your time to read it and in the end, we know that you are the best judge to decide what’s best for your child.

Have a Happy Summer !!!!!