Dr. P's Top 10 Tips for a Safe and Healthy Summer

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer.
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light;
And the landscape lay as if new
Created in all the freshness of childhood.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

*********************************

I was hiking on a gentle mountain trail. Not far ahead, a 10 year old had his arm protectively wrapped around his little brother's shoulder. "Look to the right. Look to the left," he solemnly instructed. "There is danger everywhere you look."

It was a cute display of big brotherly regard, but I was filled at once with both pride and sadness. Pride that we pediatricians have promoted a culture of safety for kids which clearly trickled down to this family. Sadness because I don't want us to create anxious kids for whom the most important aspect of a walk along a quiet mountain trail is to identify the many dangers, but not its beauty and fun.

As always, the trick is to find the right balance. And I think (hope) that taking sensible safety precautions will allow you parents to be less paranoid and thus able to enjoy life more, knowing that the risks of bad things happening to your kids have been lessened.

**************************************

So, with that caveat (apology?) here are my top 10 safety tips for summer:

1. Block the sun!

I devoted a lot of time to this last summer, so please view that blog . You know the bottom line for your kids:

• Use plenty of SPF 15 or greater sunscreen which you frequently reapply to all exposed areas (watch those ears and toes!).
• Make sure there is UVA as well as UVB protection.
• Sun protective clothing and broad-billed caps help.
• Avoid direct sun exposure as much as possible, especially when your shadow is shorter than you are. Play in the shade (e.g., an umbrella at the beach). No sunbathing.

2. Banish skeeters!

Please see last year's post on this, which has more detail (including the disquieting fact that there are 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 [1,000 trillion] mosquitoes on planet earth, each one more loathsome than the next).

• When possible wear long sleeve shirts and pants outdoors.
• Clean up the spas for mosquitoes around your house (basically any still water).
• DEET is still the best repellent around. 10% allows 2 hours of protection, while 24% affords 5 hours of protection.
• Chose the lowest concentration of DEET, based on how long you'll need the protection.
• Wash it off after returning indoors.
• Newer repellents like oil of lemon eucalyptus and picardin may be effective but we have less experience with them.
  

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

There's no need to get fancy, expensive water or sports drinks. Tap water is fine, with an occasional salty snack.

• Be sure your child periodically drinks before and during a strenuous activity. Keep sipping fluids at the beach.
• Wear light colored clothing and hats to reflect the sun's rays.
• Take time out to cool off if exercising on a hot day.
• Remember that muscle cramps are the first sign of a heat-related illness. Stop, cool off, and hydrate if they occur.

4. Wear shades.

Turns out, ultraviolet exposure to the eyes can also lead to long term problems. Much as it's your job to minimize total skin exposure to ultraviolet radiation during childhood, the same goes for the eyes. Find cool-looking sunglasses for your kids that afford good protection (>90%) from UVA and UVB radiation.

5. Buckle up.

I know: DUH! But car accidents are and will be the #1 threat to your kids' well-being. Buckling up is the best protection that nothing terrible will happen in that event.

6. Practice sensible water safety

• No swimming without supervision. Make sure someone is always watching the kids in the water.
• Teach your kids to swim so they can handle the deep end of the pool and have a lifetime of fun and great exercise.
• Set water safety rules for your family (e.g., how deep the water can be, based on their swimming skill).
• "Personal Flotation Devices" (why do I find this 21st century name for good old water wings to be so hilarious?) are great for little kids' safety and your peace of mind.

7. Avoid RWIs.

"Recreational water illnesses" are caused by your child drinking, swallowing, or coming in contact with contaminated water. Diarrhea is the most common RWI.

• Do everyone a favor and be sure your little bundle of joy doesn't cause RWIs by washing your child's butt thoroughly before s/he goes in the pool.
• Don't change the diaper near the water.
• Don't allow him/her to go in the water if s/he has GI symptoms.
• On the prevention side, make sure your kids know not to drink any pool, river, or lake water.
• Shower after swimming in a pool or any river/lake where there is a chance of contamination.

8. Bicycle helmets at all times.

Plus, be sure your kids know how and where to to ride a bike safely.

9. Practice safe playgrounds.

The playground should have a safe ground cover by the swings and slides. That means safety-tested mats or loose-fill materials at least 9 inches deep.

• Look for hazards, protruding nails, splinters in swing seats, hot metal.
• Consistent adult supervision at all times.

10. Hot fudge sundae - or equivalent thereof - once/week.

Hey, you gotta have some worry-free fun and a childhood summer without ice cream is unthinkable. The nice thing about a "scheduled splurge" is that you can get through the usual offering of low-fat frozen yogurt by assuring that "on Sunday we'll go and do it up."

Have a great, healthy, safe and fun summer!

- Dr. P

**********************************
Related Topics:

• WebMD Video: Kids and Sunglasses
• WebMD Video: The Challenges of Feeding Kids in the Summer

Technorati Tags: summer safety, childrens health, pediatrics, health and wellness