Being safe while braving the summer elements
Gear up for summer vacation and keep your child healthy and safe with these sun, water and outdoor safety tips.
According to the national Safe Kids 2007 campaign on summer safety, 40 percent of injury-related emergency room visits for children younger than 14 occur during the summer months. Many of these injuries can be prevented by keeping kids safe from common threats. Dangers that increase between May and August include:
• Sun exposure, which may result in sunburn, heat exhaustion or dehydration. A few episodes of severe sunburn during childhood may increase the chances of getting skin cancer as an adult. Younger children also are at higher risk for other sun-related injuries, including heat stress.
• Drowning which is the second-leading cause of injury-related fatalities in school-aged children. Drowning can occur in a matter of minutes in a few inches of water, but it can be prevented by closely supervising kids while they are in or near the water.
• Stings and bites from bees, wasps, ticks, mosquitoes and other harmful bugs, which can be problematic for children during the warmer months when the insect population is prevalent. Insects such as ticks can transmit Lyme disease, and mosquitoes can spread West Nile virus.
The emergency room at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is here for you and your family 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To learn more about our services, visit NorthwestHealth.com today.
Preventing Injuries in Children
Prevention is the best way to avoid outdoor injuries. Here are some tips to keep your child safe when playing outside.
• Avoid the midday heat. That’s when the sun’s ultraviolet rays are the most dangerous. It only takes 15 minutes for unprotected skin to be affected by the sun.
• Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 every two hours. Apply to all exposed skin 30 minutes before going outdoors, and reapply sunscreen after swimming or sweating, even if the sunscreen is waterproof.
• Stay hydrated — especially when participating in physical activities — by drinking plenty of water at least every 20 minutes and replacing electrolytes after an hour of heavy exertion.
• Swimming lessons can prevent drowning-related deaths and incidents. Children ages 5 or older should be taught how to swim, and parents should take CPR lessons.