You’ve waited all winter for the day you could spend the afternoon outside letting your kids soak up the summertime sunshine.
Now that summer is here, enjoy the fresh air, sunshine and great outdoors, but with some precautions.
Know the risks of overexposure to the sun, dehydration and heat stress and how to avoid them.
Stock Your Car
Keep a summertime emergency kit in your car that includes:
- Several bottles of water
- Sunscreen
- Lightweight jackets or long-sleeved shirts to protect the skin from the sun
- A hat, cap or sun visor for each child
- A first aid kit that includes ibuprofen, antibacterial cream, tweezers, and an instant ice pack (also an albuterol inhaler if your child is asthmatic, and an epi-pen if your child is allergic to bee stings).
Protect the eyes
The sun’s ultraviolet rays can be harmful to the eyes. Bright sunlight can cause headaches in children. If you’re going to be outdoors for long, be sure your children are wearing sunglasses, a baseball cap or a sun visor.
According to HealthLink, even cheap, $5 sunglasses are effective in protecting your eyes from the sun.
Protect the skin
Sunscreen is essential in the summertime. Buy a good sunscreen that is SPF 15 or higher and put it on your children 30 minutes before they go outside. It’s most effective to apply sunscreen before getting dressed, so you reach all the skin that might peek out from behind clothing later. Don’t forget the tops of the feet, ears and the top of the scalp.
Reapply sunscreen every two hours and again after your children are in the water and towel dry.
Check the expiration date on your sunscreen – it does expire and lose its effectiveness.
A higher SPF number on sunscreen does not mean a longer period of time you’re protected in the sun.
Health experts say sunscreen alone is not enough. If you’re outdoors in midday, it’s best to physically cover your skin with lightweight clothing.
The American Cancer Society recommends the Australians’ rule of “Slip, Slop, Slap” – slip on a shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat – as the best way to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays.
Health experts recommend on extremely hot days to stay indoors between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Stay hydrated
It is recommended the children and adults alike should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. Don’t wait until your child is thirsty to give him water. Dehydration can be happening without notice.
In summer heat, avoid caffeinated beverages. Caffeine, which is found in many soft drinks, speeds up dehydration.
Avoid carbonated drinks. They will cause kids to feel bloated and “full” and may make them feel like they don’t need a drink of water.
Watch for heat exhaustion
Although children appear to be less affected by weather extremes, they are in fact more susceptible to heat exhaustion or heat stress than adults.
Heat stress occurs when an overexposure to high temperatures or high humidity causes dizziness, headache, weakness, and nausea.
When outdoor temperatures reach 95 degrees or above, children should avoid exercise or physical activity and drink plenty of water, even if they don’t feel thirsty.
The Committee on Sports Medicine and Fitness of the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that:
- Children need time to become acclimated to a warmer climate by gradually increasing their expose and exercise in the environment.
- Children should drink water and be well hydrated before starting physical activity.
- Children should drink water or sports drinks periodically during physical activity and play, even if they don’t feel thirsty – 5 ounces every 20 minutes for a child weighting 40 pounds; 9 ounces every 20 minutes for an adolescent weighting 132 pounds.
- Clothing should be light-colored, lightweight and limited to one layer of absorbent fabric to allow the skin to sweat. If clothing becomes wet, it should be changed for dry clothing.
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