Must follow guide for parents: summer safety tips for kids
The summer season is upon us and I have prepared an extensive guide on summer safety tips for kids that every parent must follow.
My son and I were in Tennessee all week last week, visiting my mom. My son (who is turning 9 this week) has gotten into Geocaching. I have to admit, I have gotten into it too; it is a lot of fun. On the day of arrival, my son convinced my mom to take him geocaching. I, happy to have found a free and trusted babysitter, decided to stay back.
Within an hour they came back; my mom in panic mode and my son looking extremely pale, shaking, and crying. He had vomited and had suffered a heat stroke. It was 93℉ and even though he had plenty of water and sunscreen, he got badly ill. Fortunately, they came back before it was too late. After he cleaned up and cooled off, my son collapsed in bed and took a long nap. And I sighed with relief.
This incident made me curious about common kid injuries during the summer and furthermore, how we, as busy parents, can keep our kids safe. After all, summer is all about fun, being outside, and splashing around.
That said because children play outside for longer periods of time, they are at a higher risk for accidental injuries and heat-related illnesses.
Here are some of the common injuries that our kids can endure, especially during summer.
My goal for this guide on summer safety tips for kids is to provide you with reliable and easy-to-remember safety tips so you can keep your loved ones safe.
1. Dehydration
It is common for kids to experience dehydration due to increased activities and the warmer temperatures outside. When this happens, the body loses more water than it should.
In order for you to keep your kids safe, you must plan ahead. Take twice as much water as you think you will need with you and if possible, scout the area beforehand so you can look for shady spots.
Take a water break every 15 -20 minutes and be sure to have the kids come out of direct sunlight and take a rest in the shady areas.
2. Heat Exhaustion
This is what my son experienced. Unbeknownst to me, heat exhaustion is quite dangerous and can be fatal. One of best summer safety tips for kids to avoid this injury is to prevent it.
Refrain from doing any outside activity when the temperature is above 90℉, 85℉, or even lower to be safe. And definitely avoid being outside during the hottest time of the day which is generally from 2 – 4 PM.
Note: heat exhaustion can happen even if it is not sunny. Don’t be fooled by thinking you or your kids are safe from heat stroke because it is overcast.
3. Sunburn
Who hasn’t experienced sunburn?
Unfortunately, the symptoms of sunburn may not begin until two to four hours after the sun’s damage has been done. In order to avoid sunburn, splurge on sunscreen and sun hats including those with neck covering.
Apply sunscreen 20-30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two to three hours and after every swim. Do not apply anything less than 30 SPF. I would personally go for 50+.
And don’t forget to apply it everywhere; behind ears, nose, cheeks, back, and front of the neck, shoulders, you name it. Reapply if you need to make sure you got it all covered.
4. Drowning
Drowning is a leading cause of death-related injuries for kids of one to four years of age and it absolutely peaks during the summer season. Kids can drown in as little as 2 inches of water. Think about it, only two inches. That is the length of your credit card!
So, here is what to do to prevent kids’ drowning: do not, I repeat, do not, leave kids alone near any body of water including swimming pools, bathtubs, splash pads, toilets, kiddy pools, rivers, ponds, streams, lakes, wading pools, drainage ditches, anything that can collect up to 2 inches of water even for just a few minutes.
If you and the child are inside a home that has a swimming pool, be absolutely sure to lock any and all doors in a way that the child can not unlock without your help. Every year, we hear so many stories about children sneaking out momentarily when the caretaker is occupied and awful things happen.
If you are outside near a body of water and are monitoring the child, please do not, I repeat, do not take any reading material or electronics. No books, no magazines, no phones, no Ipads, no headphones, absolutely nothing that can take even a few seconds of your attention away from the child.
Don’t let the child under your care become a statistic. This is really serious.
5. Injuries Near Water
Many injuries, including head injuries, fractures, and tears occur when kids slip on a slippery surface near water or swimming pools. Do not allow your kids to run, skip or jump off the concrete surfaces near water.
Also, many adults and kids suffer serious injuries by diving into shallow or dark water in lakes and rivers where you can’t see what is below the surface. This is a bad idea.
I personally think diving in open water is just a bad idea but if you must, be sure to know what is under the surface or jump in, feet first. Also, avoid crowded swimming spots, including swimming pools. It is just that much harder to keep track of your children and monitor them to ensure they are safe.
6. Injuries On Surface
Falls are another leading cause of unintentional injuries and luckily, there are several summer safety tips for kids to prevent it.
During summer, kids ride their bikes, climb trees, play on the playground and enjoy being, well, kids…
However, we must ensure that their safety takes the highest priority. Ensure that your child is wearing a safety helmet when they are riding their bikes, even if it is in the neighborhood culdesac.
Avoid busy streets, sidewalks, and steep driveways when riding bikes and scooters. Be sure the bike has had a safety check before your child gets on the bike and be sure that the helmet is fastened correctly.
Avoid playgrounds that are on cement or dirt; only allow your child to play in a playground that has a soft, rubbery ground cover or potentially wood chips.
If you do allow your child to climb trees, ensure that they don’t damage the tree, they don’t climb higher than their height, and they are wearing a safety helmet. Better yet, have them do something else.
7. Injuries on Trampolines and Bouncy Houses
Similar to swimming, an adult with uninterrupted attention has to be present when kids are playing in bouncy houses or trampolines.
Never allow different size children to play simultaneously in the enclosure even if there are just two of them. Ensure the bouncy house or the trampoline is placed on a soft surface, not concrete or dirt.
In addition, check the area to make sure that the enclosures are far away from gates, trees, fences, poles, and walls. Lastly, never allow a child to use a trampoline that does not have safety nets around it.
Final Thoughts
Do these summer safety tips for kids sound like they take the fun away? Maybe but it is better to follow and adhere to strict safety tips for kids than to make a terrible mistake that may not be reversible.
Oh and don’t forget to put on bug spray on you and your child when you are doing nature activities. Oh, and one more thing, be aware of rattlesnakes. Seriously; those buggers are everywhere and they can be deadly. Yikes.
Stay safe, have fun and send us pictures.
Note – To be present for your kids all the time, you’d have to put your chores on hold. Why not hire Call Emmy to help you with house cleaning, laundry, babysitting, meal preparation, etc. All you’ve got to do is download the Call Emmy app and book your services.
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