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Summer Safety Tips

Summer can be fun, but keeping your family safe during summer activities is important. The following are excerpts from tips on summer safety from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Fun in the Sun

  • Dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts and brimmed hats that shade the neck
  • Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or bill facing forward
  • Wear sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays
  • Stay in the shade whenever possible and limit exposure during hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater) on both sunny and cloudy days and reapply every two hours or after swimming or sweating

Exercise and Heat Stress

  • Reduce intensity of activities when heat and humidity reach critical levels
  • Children should be well hydrated prior to activity and drink cold tap water or a flavored sports drink every 20 minutes (90 lb child = 5 oz; 130 lb adolescent = 9 oz) even if the child is not thirsty
  • Wear light-colored, lightweight clothing and replace sweat-saturated shirts with dry clothing Pool Safety
  • Never leave children alone in a pool or spa, even for a moment
  • Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd’s hook and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool
  • Children age 4 and older should be taught to swim
  • Keep infants and toddlers within arm’s length of an adult
  • Ensure that proper drain covers are in place to avoid entrapment

Insect Safety

  • Don’t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child
  • Avoid bright-colored, flowery clothing
  • Use insect repellant containing 10-30% DEET (children over 2 months of age) to prevent insect-related diseases like Lyme disease and West Nile Virus
  • Wash insect repellant off children when back indoors
  • Remove visible stingers from skin by gently scraping horizontally with a credit card or fingernail

Playground Safety

  • Make sure metal slides are cool to prevent burns to children’s legs
  • Do not allow children to play barefoot on playgrounds
  • Never purchase a home trampoline or allow children to use home trampolines
  • Supervise children on playground equipment

Bicycle Safety

  • Buy a bike of the right size, not one your child has to "grow into"
  • Choose coaster (foot) brakes until child is older and more experienced
  • Ensure child wears a CPSC approved safety helmet at all times

Skateboard, Scooter, In-Line Skate Safety

  • Ensure that child wears a helmet and other protective gear at all times; wrist guards are especially important
  • Children should skate on designated paths or rinks and not on the street

Lawn Mover Safety

  • Use a mover that stops moving forward when handle is let go
  • Children younger than 16 years should not use riding mowers and those younger than 12 years should not use walk-behind mowers
  • Do not allow children to ride as passengers on riding mowers
  • Sturdy shoes (not sandals or sneakers) should be worn while mowing
  • Prevent injuries from flying objects by wearing eye protection
  • Protect hearing by wearing ear plugs

Be FamilyWise and enjoy summer!

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