Hazards surrounding sun, water, insects, food and playgrounds can all be easily addressed by following a few simple guidelines
Summer time is here and for most children ages zero to five, this means more outdoor activities. For all parents, this means being extra vigilant to keep your child safe and healthy. Here are some tips to keep your child safe this summer.
1. Seek Protection from the Sun
As the warm weather sets in, most parents are out of practice with coating their children with sun block. At least 30 minutes before heading outdoors, coat your child in a lotion with a SPF of 30 or greater that protects against UVB and UVA rays. Reapply if the child swims or sweats. Keep babies under six months of age out of the sun or use lotion on their face and hands only to prevent overheating them.
2. Be Careful Around Water
Pools are a great way to beat the heat, but take the appropriate measures to make sure children ages zero to five are safe around water: Sign your child up for swimming lessons, make sure pool and spa areas are secured with fences and alarms, and never leave your child unattended. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, an estimated 260 children under five years of age drown each year in residential swimming pools and spas. The Commission estimates that another 3,000 children under age five are treated in hospital emergency rooms following submersion accidents each year.
3. Bug Safety
Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water. Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied. Use insect repellents containing 10-30 percent DEET (the current Center for Disease Control and American Association of Pediatrics' recommendation for children over two months of age). DEET should not be used on children under two months of age.
4. Keep Food Safe
Food-borne illness and food poisoning occurrences increase in the summer months when the weather is warmer. Spare your children a bad case of food poisoning by ensuring there is plenty of ice to keep cold foods cold and refrigerate uneaten foods.
5. Playground Safety
Keep children ages zero to five safe by checking to ensure all equipment is well maintained, and also check that play surfaces are not too hot. Always supervise your children when they're playing on equipment. Never allow children to wear clothing with drawstrings when playing on equipment and don’t allow them to attach skipping ropes, leashes or other items to equipment. They can be easily strangled.
For more information about summer safety resources and programs for children ages zero to five, as well as the community partners that provide services and resources, please visit www.First5Sacramento.net or call First 5 Sacramento at (916) 876-5865.
About First 5 Sacramento:
Research shows that a child’s brain develops most dramatically in the first five years and what parents and caregivers do during these years to support their child’s growth will have a meaningful impact throughout life. Based on this research, California voters passed Proposition 10 in 1998, adding a 50 cents tax on tobacco products to support programs for expectant parents and children ages zero to five. In the last year, First 5 Sacramento distributed approximately $16 million in Prop 10 revenues to programs and services that meet local needs.