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10 Tips for a Safe Summer
Help your family enjoy a fun and healthy summer with these ten important tips for keeping you and your children out of harm's way.
Kids love the carefree days of summer. There's so much to do—bicycle rides, picnics, trips to the beach, and time at the park! Enjoying the great outdoors is grand, but summer can present safety challenges, too. Here are some cautionary tips to beat the heat and stay safe.
Avoid Sun Damage
Playing in the sun can be fun but turn very uncomfortable quickly if you or your kids get too much exposure. Follow these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) to avoid painful sunburn and damage from ultraviolet rays.
- Avoid sun exposure for babies younger than six months. Dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats to prevent sunburn.
- The first and best line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of ultraviolet rays, and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
- Stay in the shade whenever possible and avoid sun exposure during the peak intensity hours between 10 AM and 4 PM.
- Use a sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 15 or greater. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside, and use sunscreen even on cloudy days. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen—about one ounce per sitting for a young adult.
- Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating.
Stay Hydrated
When people play in the heat, they sweat. Perspiration acts like a natural air conditioner; however, this system can fail if you overexert yourself on hot and humid days, resulting in heat exhaustion or heat stroke. During activity, your body uses large amounts of water and it's easy to become dehydrated.
To prevent dehydration, you and your children should drink about a cup of water every 30 minutes on hot days. Give the kids their own plastic water bottles to encourage drinking before, during, and after activities. Limit caffeinated and sweetened beverages, which can deplete the body of water.
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