Three Essential Summer Safety Tips for Kids- "Keep your kids safe!"

Summer is just around the corner. It is an ideal time to explore outdoors and enjoy various fun activities with family and friends. But as the temperature and humidity go up, so does the risk of summer mishaps too, summer mishaps are quite common. According to research data, injuries to children ages, 14 and under are most likely to happen in the summer months. Playground activities, biking and swimming are the summer activities most responsible for injuries to children.

Before you round up your family and head for the outdoor, read up on ways to make your days in the sun safe as well as fun.

Heat safety

Children face a greater risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. Normally, our bodies get cooled through sweating and by radiating through the skin. But in hot weather, high humidity and high temperature did not work efficiently, letting heat in the body and can bring the risk of heat-related illness. According to NSW, hot weather can affect your baby or child, because their bodies cannot adjust to changes in temperature like adults. They sweat less and generate more heat during exercise than adults. They are at risk of overheating and developing the heat-related illness.

 Infants and children up to 4 years of age are at greatest risk for heat-related illness. And the prevention is the best defence against the heat-related illness. Here are few easy tips that can provide sun safety.

• ·         Avoid being in the sun between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• ·         Dress appropriately kids in protective clothing and hats, clothing that covers your child’s skin help protect against UV rays.
• ·        childhood sun exposure increases skin cancer risk later in life. “Children are more sensitive to sun and sun’s rays are strongest during summer months, when children tend to spend ample time outdoors”- says Perry Robins MD (president of skin cancer foundation), so it is must to practice sun-screen application beforehand. Teach children to apply 1 ounce of sunscreen to all exposed areas 30 minutes before outdoor activities.
• ·         It is also mandatory to remind kids to seek the shade areas in order to limit UV exposure.
•         Stay cool with cool showers or bath
• ·         Never leave infants, Children or pets in a parked car and dress them in loose, lightweight and light coloured clothing
• ·         Seek medical care immediately if your child has the heat-related illness, such as heavy sweating, nausea, vomiting, fainting etc.

Water Safety

During summer some of the best fun comes from water activities, but on another side, these ample water activities increase the risk of death due to drowning.  data shows, out of every 5 drowning victims, one will be under the age of 1 to 4.  Also, it is the third leading cause of all deaths for children age 1 to 4.

Water safety is very important. Here are few important tips to ensure water safety for kids.

• ·         Stay alert and always supervise your children all time around swimming pool, bathtub and natural water bodies. While supervising avoid distracting activities such as reading a book or talking on the phone.
• ·         Get swimming lessons. According to American Academy of Paediatrics children can safely take swim lessons as early as age 1 at the parents' discretion.
• ·         CDC recommends it is best to learn CPR and get recertified every 2 years. It is also advisable to use buddy system while swimming and look for swimming sites that have lifeguards.

Additional tips for water safety

• ·         Being proactive with your pool or spa and must take proper safety precautions to ensure your children are safe.
• ·         Be prepared for pool emergencies
• ·         Avoid using air-filled or foam toys as the safety device
• ·         Use proper safety precautions such as wearing a life jacket before swimming and know the local weather condition and forecast.

Bug safety

Along with water and sun safety, keep mosquitos and ticks from bugging you and your kids is equally important. Mosquitos, biting files and tick can make children miserable and can cause Zika, West mile virus and Lyme diseases (which are usually transmitted by insects).

Children National.org offers few ways to minimize the risk of bug bite.

• ·         Avoid outdoor activities during dusk and dawn when mosquitos are most active.
• ·         Avoid playing in or round puddles of water or flowerbed
• ·         Wear appropriate clothes to minimize skin exposure.
• ·         Use of insect repellent is also advisable. according to American Acedemy of paediatrics insect repellents that contain active ingredients, DEET is good for use. If you play to be outside for only a few hours, a lower concentration of DEET is recommended, but if you plan on being outside for a full day, a higher concentration is recommended (but no more than 30 percent)

So these are some easiest way that will help you to have a safe summer. How do you keep your child safe during summer? Please share!

This post is a part of #superbloggeracademy linky party hosted by Dr. Amrita from Healthwealthbridge.coand  Dr. Bushra from allaboutthewomen.com