SUMMER SAFETY
Summer is about half-way over, but it's never too late to remember about safety! Here are a few quick tips.
1) SUNSCREEN! Apply a 30 SPF or higher sunscreen everyday you are outdoors. Reapply in an hour or so, and keep reapplying when you are outside. Even if it is a cloudy day, you can still get a serious sunburn. Babies should not be in the direct sun at all- they can get severely burned in a few minutes, and be miserable for days! Even for quick outings, keep them in light clothes and sunhats, under an umbrella or protected by a cover in the stroller.
2) WATER SAFETY! If you have a pool or hot tub at home, make sure it is enclosed with a fence with a self-closing, self-locking gate. There should ALWAYS be an adult Water Watcher when children or in or around the water. They should actually be within arm's length of young children or beginner swimmers. When supervising them, you really have to keep an eye on them- not on your phone, not drinking, not socializing. Children can have drowning accidents when adults are nearby but not directly watching them! Teach your kids to follow all the safety rules at the pool, on the boat, or at the lake. Set a good example for your children by following the rules yourself, particularly avoiding use of alcohol or drugs in and around the water.
3) HEAT AND DEHYDRATION! Our very hot temperatures can cause serious illness when people get dehydrated. Children typically do not drink as much water as needed, and waiting until they feel thirsty is not a good indicator. If your child feels nauseous, dizzy, has muscle cramps, headache or irritability, they may be suffering from heat cramps or, even, heat exhaustion! Bring them inside, to a cool area, give them water or Gatorade, cool them off with a wet cloth or put them in a tepid bath. If they are vomiting and unable to keep down fluids, they may need to go to Urgent Care or the ER.
You can prevent most heat illness by giving your child frequent fluids, making sure they take breaks from vigorous exercise in the heat, and try to limit strenuous activity to cooler parts of the day.
4) CAR SAFETY! NEVER leave your child alone in a vehicle, even for a few minutes, especially during warm weather. The temperature can climb very quickly and become life-threatening. The same holds true for your pets. Animals are extremely sensitive to the high temperatures in a vehicle, even with the windows partially open. If the outside temperature is 95 degrees, the temp in the car can reach 115 degrees in less than 10 minutes! With Texas temperatures reaching over 100 degrees during much of our summer, NO period of time is safe for a child or pet in a vehicle.