Summer is the favorite time of year for many children. After spending so many months cooped up inside trying to avoid the cold, most kids are eager to get outside and enjoy the weather. Not to mention getting a break from school and getting to enjoy summertime activities like swimming and barbecues. While we’re all itching to get outside and have some fun, it’s important to always remember your child’s safety, especially in the summertime. With that in mind, we’ve put together some summertime safety tips to keep your child healthy and happy whether they’re enjoying summer at home, at camp, or even on the road.
Water Safety
We all love a good swim to help cool off during those hot summer days. However, it’s important to keep a close eye on your child around large bodies of water. Instances of drowning increase dramatically during the summer and it only takes seconds for your child to be put in danger. Always keep a watchful eye on your children when at the pool, beach, or lake and make sure to actively supervise them at all times. If you have a pool at your home, be sure to have proper safety equipment at all times.
Heat Stroke
Cases of heat stroke also spike dramatically during the summer months. Heat stroke can be extremely dangerous for children so it is important to keep a watchful eye on your children during heatwaves and especially hot summer days. Children will often show milder symptoms before heat stroke occurs, such as heat cramps and heat exhaustion so be sure to educate yourself for the signs of heatstroke as a preventative measure. Also ensure your kids take plenty of water breaks and wear lightweight clothing when outside.
Sunscreen
We have all had a bad sunburn in our lifetime. But sunburns can be especially damaging to the skin of young children. When outside, ensure that your children are wearing sunscreen with an SPF of at least thirty. This should be applied every three hours or whenever your child gets out of water. Also try to avoid summer activities during peak sunshine hours and provide your child with sun protective clothing.
Bug Bites
As the weather begins to warm up, the mosquitoes come out and play. While bug bites serve as nothing more than a minor annoyance for adults, they can be quite damaging to children. Kids are much more prone to excessive itching and scratching of bug bites which can lead to open wounds and infection. When outdoors, be sure to apply insect repellent to your child and make sure to check them for ticks and other critters once they come inside. If your child does get bit, be sure to properly clean and disinfect any fresh bites to avoid infection.
Hydrate
Children are often much more prone to dehydration than adults. Ensure your child is drinking enough water throughout the day and account for any water loss from things like sweat. While the amount of water your child should be drinking varies based on things like age, height, and weight, a general rule of thumb is that your child should be drinking about half their body weight in ounces of water. (ex. A one hundred pound child should drink about fifty ounces of water a day)
With these tips in mind, we hope that you and your child are able to have a happy and healthy summer. For more child care tips be sure to check out our other blog posts at Honeytreepreschool.com.