With all of the fun outdoor activities for you and your children to enjoy, you might forget to pause and think about the importance of summer safety. Below we discuss three common areas of summer safety that you should consider as you enjoy the weather with your family!
Water Safety
In the summertime, water activities become a popular recreational activity for both adults and kids! When having children participate in different water activities there are a few main things to consider.
How to Prevent Water Illnesses
Recreational water illnesses are caused by germs being present in contaminated water in swimming pools, hot tubs, water parks, water play areas, interactive fountains, lakes, rivers, or oceans. They can also be caused by pool chemicals.
Before your children swim, check the pool’s latest inspection results, make sure the drain at the bottom of the deep end is visible, and check that the drain covers at the bottom appear to be secured and in good repair. You should also make sure that there are no pool chemicals out in the open. For more on the steps of healthy swimming, click here.
How to Prevent Drowning
As people enjoy their time by the water, rarely do they think of injuries on their mind as the first thing. However, drowning are the leading cause of injury death for children ages 1 to 14. Parents can potentially protect the children they love from drowning by following the key preventative tips.
- Learning life-saving skills: Know the basics of swimming and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
- Fence off pools: Installing a four-sided, isolated fence around a pool can help prevent children from reaching an area they shouldn’t be.
- Remember the life jackets: Life jackets are a must for natural bodies of water, even for children that know how to swim.
- Keep watch: Closely supervise children when they are near water, since drownings can happen quickly and quietly.
Information on drowning prevention can be found here.
Bonus: Also, if you’re an avid boater, you can check out this article on staying safe while boating.
Sun and Heat Safety
One of the best parts of summer is finally getting to get out and enjoy the sun! However, with the increase in harmful rays from the sun and intense temperatures, making sure your child is protected from both is important.
How to Prevent Sun Damage
Protecting your children from the sun is important, as harmful radiation (known as UV radiation) can cause painful burns and, potentially, skin cancer. According to the CDC, unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun’s UV rays in as little as 15 minutes.
In order to prevent sun damage, encourage or require your children to use sun-protective hats, wear long, UV protective clothing, apply sunscreen regularly, and wear UV-blocking sunglasses. Finding a way to incorporate sun safety into your daily routine is important!
How to Prevent Heat-Related Illness
Heat-related illnesses can harm even you and healthy people. This happens when the body’s temperature control system overloads.
Here are some ways the CDC recommends you prevent heat-related illnesses.
- Never leave children in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked.
- Avoid doing strenuous outdoor activities mid-day. Instead, plan activities for morning or early evening hours.
- Dress infants and children in light-colored and loose clothing.
- Seek medical care if your child displays the symptoms of heat-related illnesses.
Mosquito and Tick Protection:
How to Prevent Bug Bites and Diseases
Nobody likes to be bitten by bugs, especially when they can transmit harmful diseases like Zika, West Nile virus, and Lyme disease. Take the steps to prevent your children from harmful bug bites this summer.
- Use a bug repellant that is approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and reapply the repellent as the bottle suggests or when you feel bug bites.
- Turn your backyard into a tick-safe zone by removing leaf litter, clearing tall grasses, creating a barrier of wood chips or gravel between wooded areas and recreational areas, and mowing your lawn frequently. For more ways to restrict ticks, click here.
- Check you and your children for ticks after being outdoors in wooded or grassy areas.
Resources:
Preventing Sun Damage: http://www.sunsafetyforkids.org/sunprotection/
CDC Information on Sun Safety: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/skin/basic_info/children.htm
https://www.safekids.org/content/heatstroke?gclid=COH4z_OwmNQCFZOKaQodq_IHuw
Information on Heat Safety: https://www.cdc.gov/family/kids/summer/
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