Summer is officially here, and we hope yours has gotten off to a fantastic start! While our Drama Kids team knows that summer is full of opportunities for fun family time, it’s also vital that we ensure that our kids are enjoying their summer breaks safely.
From heat to accidents and beyond, summer isn’t always all fun and games. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that with the warmer weather, the risk of injuries increases.
Over 2.6 million children are treated in emergency rooms for sports and recreation-related injuries, and more than 200,000 kids (14 and younger) are treated for playground-related injuries. We aren’t advising that you put your kids in a bubble or keep them cooped up indoors, and instead have compiled some fantastic safety tips that can help keep your family out of the doctor’s office!
Here are four tips that will ensure a safe and fun-filled summer for your kids:
- Protect skin from the sun.We know, you hear this advice frequently, but that’s because it is so important! The sun’s rays can cause long-lasting damage to our skin, and that includes our kids’ skin, too. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before heading outside and be sure to reapply it every two hours or more often after swimming or sweating.
- Keep those pesky bugs at bay.If your child is spending quality time outside, bugs are just a given. You can help keep the bugs at bay and prevent bug bites by making sure your child is prepared. Bug sprays with DEET in them are OK to use for kids with caution, but if your child is younger than 2 months old, do not use them at all. After using a bug spray and being outdoors all day, a bath is obviously recommended!
- Be on guard for heat exhaustion.It’s hot out, and while it can be enjoyable, it’s also very easy for children to experienceheat exhaustion. An easy way to avoid this is to limit time outside between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., or keep play in shaded areas as much as possible. Be sure that your child is drinking adequate water and watch for signs of fatigue, extreme thirst, and muscle cramping.
- Brush up on water safety.More than830 children ages 14 and under die as a result of accidental drowning each year, with an average of 3,600 children being injured in near-drowning incidents. Drowning deaths also increase by 89 percent between May and August. Making sure children are never left unsupervised near any water source is key, and you can even take the time to become CPR-certified. You never know when it may come in handy. Also, know the signs of secondary drowning, which can happen hours after a child inhales water into the lungs.
We want your family to have its best summer yet, and that means a safe summer, too! Remember, our Drama Kids locations are offering summer camp options worth checking out.