The start of summer means holiday plans, vacations and a lot of outdoor time. But this time of year also brings potential for injuries, particularly for children. Water accidents, sunburns, dehydration and head/neck injuries are some of the most common concerns pediatricians see during the summer.
Doctors at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, in Baltimore, Maryland, say many of these injuries can be prevented by keeping safety top of mind.
Here are 12 tips from Johns Hopkins Medicine experts to help kids have a safer summer:
1. Watch for signs of heat exhaustion. –Danielle Hirsch, M.D., M.P.H., pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Heat exhaustion occurs when your body loses water and salt. Symptoms can include muscle cramps, pale or moist skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, fatigue, weakness and even anxiety. Usually, it presents with a fever over 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (or 38 degrees Celsius). Children and teens adjust more slowly to heat than adults do. Kids with chronic health problems, including being overweight or taking certain medicines, may be even more susceptible. To prevent heat exhaustion, remind your child to take a break and drink plenty of fluids while out in the heat. If your child experiences symptoms, they need to move immediately to a cool place and rest, remove any excess clothing and try to find a fan or a cool cloth to apply to the face.
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