Summer Safety

Today is the last day of school for my 4 children. Summer brings such great joy and freedom yet more children are sent to the emergency room from injury in the summer than any other time of year. Here are my summer safety tips to help keep you and yours safe!

Dr. Deb’s Summer Safety Tips

1. Alcohol and Water Don’t mix

Nothing tastes better than a cold beer or margarita by the pool, but water and alcohol just don’t mix. Sun and heat increase alcohol’s influences on balance, coordination, and judgment. Not only is the adult more likely to be injured but the children that need constant vigilance are also at risk. A lifeguard present does not get you off the hook. We still see higher risks of severe sunburn and injury

The people with a pool at home are not so lucky. While they don’t have to drive home, the authors of the book “Freakonomics” found that having a back-yard pool is 100 times more dangerous to children than keeping a gun in the house.

According to the CDC, alcohol use is involved in up to half of adolescent and adult deaths associated with water recreation and about one in five reported boating fatalities.

Most young children who drowned in pools were last seen in the home, had been out of sight less than five minutes, and were in the care of one or both parents at the time.

One child, younger than 5, will die everyday from a pool or spa drowning.

4,200 children under the age of 15 go to hospital emergency rooms due to non-fatal submersions injuries.

What can you do?

Don’t drink alcohol around any water including pools or while boating.

Designate one adult at a time to be the “water watcher,” with the sole responsibility of supervising the children in the water for a 20-30 minute period of dedicated time.

Have everyone take swim lessons

Learn CPR

Have appropriate equipment (compliant safety drain covers, alarms, fences and other barriers and sensors)

Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.

South Carolina Department of Natural Resources found that more than 90 percent of all boating fatalities could have been prevented by the proper use of life jackets.

Large flotation devices can cause drowning because kids can get caught below them.

Teach children not to dive in shallow or unknown water depth to prevent head injury.

2. Make Sunscreen Routine

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States and most of the damage is done in childhood.

Make sunscreen application routine like brushing teeth and apply 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure. Reapply every 2 hours.

Avoid the sun between the hours of 10am-4pm.

80% of the sun’s UV rays can get through the clouds.

When buying sunglasses, look for a label that specifically offers 99-100% UV protection. Sun exposure increases future risk of cataracts.

3. Fill it up

Children and people over age 60 are more vulnerable to dehydration, which is increased with sun exposure.

Dehydration can cause light-headedness, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, confusion or even increased heart rate.

Children should hydrate before activities and every 20 minutes, 5 oz of cold tap water or a flavored sports drink for a child weighing 90 lbs, and 9 oz for an adolescent weighing 130 lbs, even if the child does not feel thirsty.

Dehydration can lead to heat stroke when our cooling system fails and heat builds up in our bodies. You can see the same symptoms as dehydrations in addition to fever, hot dry skin, hallucinations and loss of consciousness.

Treat the person by cooling them off indoors and apply ice packs to arm pits ad groin. Many will need IV fluids and treatment at the hospital.

In addition to hydrating you can prevent heat stroke by scheduling vigorous exercise during cooler parts of the day and gradually getting used to the heat.

4. Bug Out

Bug bites are not only incredibly annoying; they may carry the risk of West Nile Virus. To avoid insect bites follow these tips.

Use Insect repellant

American Academy of Pediatrics states that insect repellents with DEET are safe to use on children as young as two months old.

Higher the DEET concentration only means that it lasts longer

Do not wear or use scented perfume or lotions.

Avoid spending time outdoors when mosquitoes bite the most during evening to early morning hours (dusk and dawn)

Use a bug screen over your child’s stroller

Avoid standing water buckets or pools

Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.

5. Cheer for Headgear

Headgear is a habit in our house but I see many other kids and parents start to loosen up on helmets when kids age. BAD IDEA.

Bike accidents crash-land more kids in hospital emergency rooms than any other sport.

Kids ages 5 to 14 get hurt more often than bikers of any other age.

1,000 kids a day end up in hospital emergency rooms with injuries from bikes – like broken bones or brain concussions.

1 kid every day dies of these injuries. Others suffer lifetime problems, like limping or brain damage.

Wearing a bike helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85 percent.

Head injuries accounted for 62.6 percent of bicycle fatalities.

Ninety-five percent of bicyclists killed in 2006 reportedly weren’t wearing helmets.

Collisions with motor vehicles accounted for 75.7 percent of bicycle fatalities.

Most children suffering bicycle injury are within a mile of home.

Evening is the highest risk time for injury (Likely from increased traffic)

Alcohol is involved in a quarter of bicycle accidents.

Young cyclists are more likely than adult cyclists to die of head injuries

More than a third of the kids wearing helmets did not have them fitted correctly

Proper fit is essential so the top of the forehead is covered. If it is tipped back, it will not protect the forehead.

Make these safety tips routine and nonnegotiable no matter what the age and you will have a happy and safe summer. Let’s have a drink (of water) that summer is finally here!

Blessings,

Dr. Deb