It’s summer and the living is dangerous

Tips to avoid some common summer dangers

Summer means lazy days spent swimming at the beach, taking the kids out the playground and sipping lemonade by the side of the pool.

Warm weather revellers must also watch out for some all-toocommon summer dangers, however, says Dr. Arlene King, chief medical officer of health at the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Here’s a list of summer’s top health concerns:

Heat exhaustion and heatstroke: “Our number one concern in summer is the heat,” explained King, “particularly with the recent heat wave that’s hit Southern Ontario. It’s important to check up on family, friends and neighbours who are at higher risk of heat-related illness, specifically the elderly and young children.”

Anyone can suffer heatstroke or heat exhaustion, but infants, young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses are at the greatest risk. Symptoms include extreme thirst, rapid breathing and heartbeat, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and fainting.

If heatstroke progresses to the point of confusion, dizziness or unconsciousness it is a medical emergency. If untreated, it can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidneys and muscles within hours.

It is important to ensure young children and babies are never left alone in a hot car or in direct sunlight, especially if they are too young to communicate their growing thirst or other signs of illness.

“Provide them with lots of liquids and opportunities to cool down,” King said. “And call elderly neighbours and family members to check up on them frequently and make sure they are okay. We have to be diligent and protect each other.”

Construction workers, landscapers and anyone else working vigorous jobs i n the hot sun are also at risk. Give yourself some time to cool off while on the job, King advised, even if that means simply slipping into an air-conditioned gas station or convenience store.

It is also helpful to wear loose, light-coloured clothing and drink lots of water, even if you aren’t thirsty. And it’s never a bad idea to lather on the sunscreen, she says, but while the protective goop is a supplement, it is not a replacement for other cool-down measures.

“It’s most important that people limit the time they spend in the sun,” said King, citing that the sun is strongest between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Food safety and preparation: Foodborne illnesses increase in the summer, as bacterial microorganisms grow faster at temperatures between 32 and 43 C. Perishables can easily go bad and lead to food poisoning when left in the sun or a hot car for long periods of time, said King, so it is important to refrigerate food properly, particularly anything containing meat or dairy.

“Food safety is always an issue in the summer,” she said, “and people have to be mindful when storing and preparing food at home. The key challenge is keeping cold food cold and not leaving food out any more than an hour on hot summer days.”

Ice-packed coolers are a great way to keep food cold during a picnic or camping trip, just as long as you keep them closed as often as possible to keep the temperature down.

And if you have a doubt, it’s safer to just throw it out.

Insect-borne disease: So far this summer there have been no reported cases of West Nile virus in humans in Ontario, King said. Still, the mosquito-borne illness does not meet its peak season until August.

“Right now we’re urging peo- ple to keep mosquito counts down so we won’t have a problem later on,” she explained.

By this time last year, she said, there were 17 cases of West Nile reported in Ontario.

The ministry has been monitoring the mosquito population for West Nile since June, but they do not yet know all of the factors that cause a rise or decline in the proliferation of the virus.

The virus is transmitted through mosquitos that become infected by feeding on an infected bird. Most people do not show any symptoms after being bitten by an infected mosquito, and those who do will often experience only mild headaches, fever, nausea, vomiting and rashes.

Medical help is still necessary if these symptoms occur, however, as in rare cases the virus can cause serious neurological illnesses, such as swelling of the brain called encephalitis. Elderly people are most susceptible to the virus.

Mosquitos lay their eggs in warm, stagnant water, and will often stay close to the area in which they breed. Thus it’s a good idea to ensure birdbaths, gutters and rain barrels are kept clean, that kid’s wading pools are emptied after use and that tires are not left outside to accumulate water.

“You want to try to reduce the proliferation of mosquitos in your immediate area,” King said.