About Families Online

Feature Articles for June 2003

by Paula Court

Summer means sun, fun and more emergency room visits than any other time of the year for children. Injuries and illnesses can happen anywhere–at the beach, on a camping trip, or even in your own backyard.

Here’s what you need to know to protect your children this summer:

At The Beach
• Jellyfish- If your child is stung by a jellyfish, apply a paste of meat tenderizer and salt water to neutralize the venom. A mixture of equal parts vinegar and salt water will also work.

• Sunburn- Apply sunscreen offering a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher at least 30 minutes before stepping outside. Reapply after heavy physical activity or water play. Keep your children out of the sun between 10 AM and 3 PM.

• Riptides- Always pay close attention to the flags posted at most public beaches warning of hazardous conditions. Even strong swimmers can be caught off guard and carried out to sea by a riptide. The danger arises when the swimmer panics and tries to swim directly back to shore by fighting against the current. If you or your child is caught in a riptide, swim parallel to shore until the riptide eventually dissipates.

In The Backyard
• Helmets- According to the Center for Disease Control, helmets can reduce the risk of head injuries due to bike accidents by 85%. Make a firm rule and stick to it-helmets must always be worn on bikes and scooters with no exceptions.

• Bike Safety- Children should not be allowed to ride unaccompanied on neighborhood streets until they’re at least 10 years old. Before the age of ten, a child’s cognitive skills are not developed enough to accurately judge the speed of an approaching vehicle.

• Lawn Mowers- A surprising 10,000 children per year are injured by lawn mowers. Never allow children under the age of 14 to operate power mowers. To prevent eye injuries from flying objects, make sure children stay a safe distance away from a moving lawn mower.

• Dehydration- Schedule drink breaks every half hour on hot summer days. Water is the best choice because soft drinks and juices are loaded with sugar and carbohydrates.

At The Playground
Every two and one-half minutes a child in the United States visits the emergency room for injuries sustained on playground equipment. To prevent an injury to your child follow these guidelines:
- Supervise your children at all times to confirm they’re playing on age appropriate equipment.
- Check the equipment for splinters, jagged metal edges, loose bolts, etc.
- Always remove loose clothing or jewelry that may catch on equipment and risk strangulation.
- 59% of all playground injuries occur from falls. When choosing a playground, look for shock absorbing materials below slides and swings.

On A Camping Trip:
• Poison Ivy- Teach your child to recognize the leaves of poison ivy and memorize the rhyme-“leaves of three-let it be.” If your child does come in contact with the vine, wash the area immediately with soap and water and throw their clothes in the washing machine or place them in a separate bag.

The sap from the vine can linger on clothes and pets so it’s possible to develop an allergic rash without touching the leaves. To relieve the itching, try calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream.

• Ticks- Do a tick check every two to three hours during outdoor activity.

The risk of contracting Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is greatly reduced if the tick is removed within 24 hours of attachment. To remove a tick, grasp the tick with tweezers as close as possible to the skin and pull upward. Avoid touching with bare hands and be careful not to squeeze the body of the tick, which may contain infectious fluids. After removal, thoroughly cleanse the site and wash your hands.

• Bug Off!- Dress your children in long-sleeved, light-colored clothing and tuck pants legs into socks before heading into the woods. Apply insect repellent that contains 6-10% DEET to any exposed body parts. Since DEET can be toxic in high concentrations, never apply products stronger than 10% or use combination sunscreen/insect repellent on children. To minimize the allergic reaction to mosquito bites, carry a tube of hydrocortisone cream in your pocket and apply it immediately.

• Bee Stings- If your child is stung, remove the stinger immediately, but try not to squeeze the area because this releases more venom into the skin. Apply hydrocortisone cream or meat tenderizer to reduce the reaction. If this is your child’s first bee sting, be on the look out for a more severe allergic reaction. If your child experiences tightening of the throat, difficulty breathing or hives, seek emergency treatment immediately.

At The Pool:
• Water Safety- Remember-nothing is a substitute for adult supervision. Floats and water wings are particularly dangerous because they lull both children and adults into a sense of safety, but they can deflate quickly, without warning.

• Diving- Teach your children to always check the depth of a pool or any other body of water before diving in. The American Red Cross recommends nine feet as a minimum diving depth.

• Watch those teeth!- Dentists report swimming pools as a leading cause of dental injury. Children chip or knock out front teeth by hitting them against the hard edge of the pool and by slipping on wet concrete surfaces.

• E. coli- Even chlorinated pools can be contaminated by E. coli. Teach your children to never swallow pool or lake water. To help prevent possible contamination, take your children on frequent bathroom breaks and don’t allow them into the pool if they have diarrhea. Also, refrain from changing diapers poolside.

On A Picnic
• Meat- To prevent most food borne illnesses, cook chicken, hamburgers, hotdogs, and eggs until they’re well done. Never allow a utensil or plate that has held raw meat to touch cooked foods. Refrigerate all foods promptly.

• Vegetables- Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating, even those whose rinds are inedible such as melons or oranges. A knife can carry bacteria from the rind into the edible fruit.

Paula Court is a freelance writer specializing in parenting and health issues. She has a seven year old daughter.