Tips For Parents
Summer is the absolute best, especially when you are lucky enough to live at or visit the shore. There is so much to see and do, and everything takes place outside! From beach days and zoo visits to boat rides and nights on the boardwalk, we hope your summer is full of wonderful memories. Summer is fun, but too much sun and heat can be dangerous, too. Here are some safety tips so you can avoid spending time at Urgent Care!
SAFETY IN THE SUN
We wait all winter to spend time in the summer sun. When the sun is shining, everything just seems better. The sun is a great mood booster and source of Vitamin D. But too much sun is never a good thing. I see kids leaving the beach every day with sunburnt faces and more. Parents, it is your job to protect your children from the sun and teach them how to protect themselves. Every sunburn increases your child’s chance of having skin cancer later in life. This is something that can so easily be avoided.
Apply sunscreen to the kids before you leave the house. While sprays are great for reapplying when the kids are wet or sandy, coverage with a thick lotion with a high-number SPF before heading outdoors is your best bet.
Have the kids wear hats as much as possible. I know this is hard sometimes. We have had many meltdowns on the beach when someone didn’t wear a hat. They eventually stopped when the kids realized this was one battle they weren’t going to win! With my youngest, I started putting hats on him the day we brought him home from the hospital and never stopped. When it came time for the beach, wearing a hat was already a daily habit.
I constantly see articles about which sunscreens are better than others and which ones aren’t good at all! Rather than read through article after article, your best bet is just to ask your child’s pediatrician which sunscreens to avoid and which ones are your best bets.
Rule of thumb is that you shouldn’t put sunscreen on infants under 6 months of age. The only way to truly keep their skin safe is stay out of the sun completely.
Invest in a pair of decent sunglasses for each one of your kids. It’s the only way to really protect their eyes. This doesn’t just apply to the beach. Kids should wear hats and sunglasses whenever they go outside!
If your child does get sunburned, call the pediatrician. He or she can tell you how to treat the burn and keep your child hydrated.
SAFETY IN THE HEAT
It’s no secret that the sun is stronger and more intense in the summer. Sometimes with a breeze or when you are near the ocean, it’s a lot hotter than you realize. It’s just as important to protect your children on the inside as it is on the outside. Anytime you are outside in the sun, you are at risk of a heatstroke or heat exhaustion. Children are at an even higher risk. This is something that can be easily avoided.
When it is too hot, your best bet is to keep everyone inside where it is air-conditioned. I know this sounds like a drag, but there are fun things to do indoors to beat the heat. Go see a movie, visit the mall or spend some time at the library!
As kids get older, it gets harder to keep them inside. You can still be proactive, though! Encourage them to drink plenty of water from the time they wake up and throughout the day. If the day is particularly hot, taking a break and having a frozen treat is a great way to cool down.
Try to have the most time spent outside be in the early morning or after 5pm when the sun starts to set.
Make sure the kids have on loose clothing (preferably with SPF) that allows them to sweat.
After a hot day, if your child shows any abnormal symptoms such as heavy sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, muscle cramps, rapid heartbeat, fever, etc., call your pediatrician immediately.
This is just the beginning of things you can do to stay safe in the heat and sun. Before summer sets in, I encourage you to talk to your pediatrician so you can keep your kids safe in the sun and heat all summer long.
