Wednesday Wellness: Bugs, Burns and Bikes, Oh My!

It is the time of year when a lot of time is spent by the pool, on the beach, in the sun and out in the yard. While fun and relaxing, these activities can also be risky to potentially hazardous. By following these simple guidelines for summer safety, you can help to minimize the risks to you and your loved ones for greater enjoyment of the season.

Sun Safety
For babies under six months, it is recommended to avoid sun exposure. Dress infants in lightweight long pants and long-sleeved shirts and have them wear a wide-brimmed hat to protect the face and neck. A minimal amount of sunscreen with at least 15 SPF to small areas (i.e. face and back of hands) is okay.

For young children, an SPF of at least 15 that protects against UVA and UVB rays is recommended. Apply at least 30 minutes before going outside and remember to use even on cloudy days.

For older children and adults, the best protection against the sun is to cover up: wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and cotton clothing with a tight weave. Try to stay in the shade as much as possible and limit sun exposure during the most intense times of the day (10 am – 4 pm). Sunscreen with at least SPF 15 is recommended. Remember to re-apply every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Be careful around water and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in quicker sunburns.

Heat-Related Injuries
Intense activities of at least 15 minutes should be reduced in high heat and high humidity conditions. Allow for acclimatization to the heat. Ensure adequate hydration with either water or sports drinks both BEFORE and DURING (5 oz. for a child under 90 pounds and 9 oz. for an adolescent weighing 130 pounds every 20 minutes); even if the child does not feel thirsty. Clothing should be light-colored and lightweight; one layer only to facilitate evaporation of sweat.

Pool Safety
Fences should be installed around all sides of a pool and to prevent a young child from going through, over or under. Pool gates should open OUT from a pool and need to be able to self-close and self-latch. Latches should be positioned outside the reach of a young child. Keep rescue equipment (fiberglass so it does not conduct electricity), a life preserver and portable telephone/cell phone accessible in the need of an emergency. Inflatable swimming aids are not recommended as they are not a substitute for approved life vests and may give a child a false sense of security. Children should ALWAYS be closely supervised in and around a pool. Swimming at a facility with certified lifeguards is recommended because they can provide emergency care if needed. Lifeguards, however, cannot substitute for the individualized supervison a parent can provide.

Bug Safety
Avoid scented soaps, perfumes and hair spray. Avoid areas where insects flourish, such as areas of stagnant water, uncovered foods and blooming flowers. Avoid bright clothing and flowery clothes. In the event of a bee sting, remove the visible stinger by gently scraping horizontally with a card or fingernail. Avoid combination sunscreen and insect repellant, as sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours but insect repellant should not be reapplied. Insect repellants with DEET are most effective against ticks and mosquitoes. For children over two months of age, insect repellant with 30% DEET is recommended (products with only 10% DEET protects for only about 30 minutes). DEET should not be used on infants under two months of age. Be sure to wash off the insect repellant when back indoors.

Playground Safety
Protective surfaces should be used on all playgrounds: either safety-tested mats or loose-filled materials (i.e. shredded rubber, sand, wood chips) maintained to a depth of at least 9 inches. These surfaces should be extended at least 6 feet in all directions from the equipment. Be sure to inspect all equipment for defects or wear and tear. Swing seats should be made of a soft material such as rubber or plastic. Children can strangle themselves on ropes, leashes, etc. attached to equipment so this should be avoided. Metal surfaces can get very hot in the sun; be sure to check before allowing your children on to avoid burns. Home trampolines are not recommended. And, of course, children should always be supervised on playground equipment.

Bicycle Safety
For kids just learning to ride a bike, do not push them to ride a two-wheeled bike until they are ready. Make sure bikes are fitted properly to your child. Helmets are paramount; make sure they meet the CPSC safety standard. They need to fit properly: straps should be securely fastened and you should not be able to move the helmet in any direction when it is on. Remember, children learn best from parents, so you should wear one too. Since helmets are designed to absorb significant impact, it is recommended that the helmet be replaced after an impact event, even if it does not appear to be damaged and no head injury was sustained.

Scooter and Skateboard Safety
Avoid traffic when riding these. Safety gear is important: helmets, knee and elbow pads, and wrist guards. The same helmet fitting and replacing recommendations for riding bicycles applies to riding scooters and skateboards as well. Home-made ramps and jumps are dangerous.

Lawn Mower Safety
You should use a lawn mower that stops automatically if the handle is let go. Children under the age of 16 should not use riding mowers. Do not allow children to ride as a passenger on riding mowers. Children under the age of 12 should not use walk-behind mowers. Wear sturdy shoes (no sandals) when mowing the grass. Clear the area before mowing (i.e. stones, twigs, toys) to prevent flying debris. Eye and ear protection should be used as well. Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher or clearing the discharge chute. And, never attempt to fill the gas tank when the lawn mower is running.

Source: The American Academy of Pediatrics, 2009: AAP Summer Safety Tip Sheet

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Keep Halloween Safe for the Whole Family

American Association of Poison Control Centers: Keep Halloween Safe for the Whole Family

Halloween is full of both manufactured and legitimate scares: It’s the good kind of scary for kids, who love dressing up as something spooky, but can be the bad kind of scary for parents, who worry about the dangers of accepting goodies from strangers as well as the inevitable sugar high that trick-or-treating brings. But some of the scariest parts of Halloween are the ones parents don’t think of.

With that in mind, the American Association of Poison Control Centers offers a few tips aimed at making the Halloween a little less frightening for parents:

• Carry a flashlight after the sun goes down, and make sure excited trick-or-treaters don’t inadvertently wander in the way of passing cars.
• Stay in local and familiar neighborhoods. Send an adult with young children.
• Avoid barking dogs or other upset animals.
• Put trick-or-treaters in brightly colored costumes made of flame-resistant materials. Add some reflective tape on trick or treat bags to make sure your child is visible after it gets dark.
• Keep candle-lit Jack-o-Lanterns off doorsteps and out of the way of foot traffic. Fire hazards could be a danger to trick-or-treaters dealing with long or cumbersome costumes.
• If your child uses makeup rather than a mask, keep an eye out for possible skin irritation, including a rash or itching. If your child develops a rash, remove the makeup immediately and wash the affected area thoroughly with soap and water. Some kids may get creative with make-up substitutes and use shoe polish, paints or other household products. Shoe polish, inks, or felt tipped markers may contain petroleum, solvents or aniline dyes that can irritate skin and be harmful if ingested. Also be careful with glitter. Glitter in the eye as a consequence of being applied to eyes, face or even hair can result in injury to the eye.
• Inspect all treats before the kids eat them. Eat only treats in original and unopened wrappers. If wrappers are faded, have holes, tears or signs of rewrapping, throw them away. Throw away all unwrapped candy or treats.
• Check fruits and homemade goodies for foreign objects that may have been inserted or injected, including pins, metal needles or razor blades. Cut fruit into several sections to check for foreign objects.
• Be wary of dry ice. While dry ice is a great special effect for a party, keep small pieces of it out of individual drink glasses. Dry ice can cause frostbite if it comes in contact with the skin or mouth.
• Glow sticks contain dibutyl phthalate and can be an irritant to eyes on splash contact and
sometimes skin. Parents may be alarmed at the neon glow of their child’s teeth or skin, but rest
assured that a taste amount is non-toxic.
• Not all strange-looking candy is dangerous. Some are simple “candy manufacturing boo-boos.”
Before you panic, consider that white flecks could be starch and glassy pieces could be crystallized sugar. But if in doubt, toss it out – there is more than likely a ton more candy left to enjoy.

The American Association of Poison Control Centers supports the nation’s 60 poison controlcenters in their efforts to keep trick-or-treaters of all ages safe every day of the year. Poison centers offer free and confidential services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

For questions about poisons on Halloween and any other day of the year, call your local poison control center at 1 (800) 222-1222.

Kids and Cars: Hidden Summer Dangers

Kids and Cars: Hidden Summer Dangers
by Yvonne Wright

Every summer, dozens of children overheat and die of hyperthermia– the extreme overheating of the body– in parked cars. While most parents tend to believe that this nightmare could never happen to them, these tragedies continue to occur each year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a locked car sitting in the summer sun quickly turns into an oven, and temperatures can climb from 78 degrees to 100 degrees in just three minutes, and to 125 degrees in 6-8 minutes. Opening windows has almost no effect, because much of the heat radiates off seats and dashboards.

While a number of groups are working toward ways of incorporating automatic reminders into cars (e.g. motion and weight sensors that would detect a child left behind), for the moment there is no substitute for the continued vigilance of parents and caregivers. Following these steps can save the lives of countless children:

Never leave children in a car. This may sounds like second nature but slightly more than half of deaths occurred because parents forgot that children — many of them less than 1 year old — were asleep in the back. About half of those deaths occur when babies are with parents who don’t usually drive them. Those parents appear to slip back into their usual routine, as if on “autopilot,” says Safe Kids USA, an advocacy group. A stressful phone call on the way to work, a different parent taking a child to daycare—any small hiccup in the morning routine might be just enough to allow a normally attentive parent to forget about the child sitting quietly in the back seat.

Although rear-facing car seats have saved countless lives, their hoods can cover babies completely, making them less visible to drivers, and silent especially when that baby is sleeping. Experts suggest drivers place their purses or briefcases in the back seat, next to the car seat, to make sure they don’t forget a sleeping child.

Always lock your car and secure the keys so that your kids can’t get to them and warn your kids about playing in the car by themselves.
Install a trunk release mechanism, so that they can’t get trapped in the trunk
Since temperatures can soar more than 20 degrees in mere minutes, get your children out of the car first, and then worry about getting the groceries, etc., out of the car when you get home.

For more summer safety tips please see Safe Kids USA – In and Around Cars Fact Sheet.