Family Safety: Balancing Fun and Safety this Summer

When it comes to summertime, parents have much more to worry about than just beating the heat! From water and sun safety to fighting off bug bites – balancing summer fun and safety can be a challenge. Here are a few tips from Dr. Mary Zurn, vice president of education at Primrose Schools, to help keep your family safe and happy this summer.
 
Swim smarts. Children seem naturally drawn to play and splash in and around water. While drowning can happen any time of year, parents need to be extra careful in the warmer months because according to Safe Kids USA, this is when the number of drownings skyrockets. Here are a few tips to help your children balance fun and caution in the water this summer:
• Never leave children alone in or near a pool or standing water, which includes wading pools, buckets of water, etc., even for a moment. Remember, children can drown in as little as four inches of water.
• Whenever infants, toddlers or preschoolers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision."
• Supervising adults should know life-saving techniques and CPR so they can rescue a child if necessary.

Fun in the sun. Warm, sunny days are a wonderful part of summer and greatly increase the amount of time we can be outside. This wonderful sunshine, however, also brings the danger of sunburned skin with it. Here are some essentials to know before you go outside:
• According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the peak sun intensity hours are between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.  so limit play outside during this time of day.
• The best protection against sunburn is covering up. This includes hats with brims, sunglasses and lightweight clothing.
• When it comes to sunscreen, there are a lot of factors to consider--what kind, how much, how often and when. No matter the weather, use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater, which protects against UVA and UVB rays, and apply every two hours or after getting wet or sweating.
Bye, bye bugs. Don’t let pesky bug bites ruin outdoor fun. Follow these easy tips to minimize bug bites for your little one.
• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends staying away from scented soaps, perfumes and hair sprays for your child.
• Be sure to avoid insect-friendly areas like standing water, uncovered foods and gardens in bloom.
• Stay away from sunscreens with insect repellent. Sunscreen should be applied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not.

For more parenting tips and book suggestions from Dr. Z, visit www.DrZandFriends.com. To learn more about Primrose School of Five Forks, visit www.PrimroseFiveForks.com or call 770.985.0028.