Keep your preschooler safe in the summer
Date :
Tuesday, June 16 2009
Source:
Guadalupe Lore
When you think of spending time with your preschooler, summer time definitely sounds like fun! Barbecuing, playing in the yard, hiking or going swimming are all great fun, but we can’t forget certain rules to follow to have a safe summer season with our children:
- Prevent sunburn. Children love outdoor play during the warm months, especially in Wyoming where winters are long. We like to take advantage of the few months without snow. But keep in mind that sunburns can cause long term effects and even lead to skin cancer. Follow some simple rules to keep your preschoolers’ skin safe:
- Use sunscreen! SPF (sun protection factor) 30 or higher will protect their skin better. Don’t forget to reapply it often, even if it is waterproof. And apply it ahead of time. It doesn’t start working right away, so your child would be unprotected for the first thirty minutes even with sunscreen on.
- Cover the skin. Have your child wear light long sleeves and long pants, and hats with wide brims that protect the ears and back of the neck. Sunglasses are a plus, but make sure they have UV protection.
- Avoid sun exposure between 10 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon, when the UV exposure is at its highest.
- Use the same safety measures on cloudy days. UV rays are still getting to your child!
- Use safety gear. Children will definitely enjoy riding bikes, skates, scooters and horses during these warm months. Preventing head injury is as easy as putting on a helmet. Each sport or activity has its own head protection needs, so have a variety of appropriate helmets on hand for each child. Make it a rule to always wear one!
Other safety gear like knee or elbow pads will help avoid scratches and scrapes if your child falls.
- Trampolines are a very popular backyard toy but they can be dangerous too. There are certain measures you can take to lower the risk of your child getting hurt while playing on a trampoline.
- Allow only one child on it at a time. Usually the smaller, lighter person has more chances of getting hurt when there is more than one person using this equipment.
- Don’t let kids do somersault jumps. Most neck injuries happen while children flip up on the air and don’t land on their feet.
- Purchase a frame pad to cover the spring area. Little feet (and big ones too) are easily caught and stuck in the trampoline springs.
- Make sure there is plenty of space around the trampoline, and don’t set it by other equipment, fence, trees or any other hard surface.
- Spotters should be on all sides of the trampoline.
- Talk to your child about how to use the trampoline properly and remind them often about the rules.
- Stay away from bug bites! We all have heard about West Nile Virus. There are a few steps you can follow to reduce the chances of mosquito bites:
- Use insect repellent. Make sure it is the kind that contains DEET.
- The busiest times for mosquitoes are dawn and dusk. Avoid outdoor activities or be extra careful at these times.
- Have your child wear long sleeves, long pants and socks. Some mosquitoes may still bite through clothes, but you can also spray DEET mosquito repellent onto clothing for extra protection.
-Tick bites are also common during warm months. If you go for hikes on wooded areas or low-growing grassland you need to be cautious.
- Once again, long pants and socks will protect your child. Also if the clothing is light-colored and you do frequent tick-checks you will be able to see the ticks before they are attached to skin.
- Spray EPA-approved tick repellent on your child’s skin. Once he gets inside make sure he washes it off with warm soapy water.
- Remember to check your child’s skin for ticks often if you are spending a long time outdoors.
Our summers are not very long in Wyoming, so enjoy them to the fullest while they last. Teach your child to be cautious and have fun together. Memories from fishing trips, or mountain hiking or simply playing in the backyard will last a lifetime. Be safe and make memories!