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Newswise — The weather is heating up, and school is winding down. But, the start of summer also brings potential for injuries, particularly for children. Water accidents, sunburns, dehydration and head/neck injuries are some of the most common conditions pediatricians see during the summer.
Doctors at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital and Johns Hopkins Children’s Center say many of these injuries can be prevented, and they offer guidance on how to have a safer summer.
Here are 12 tips from Johns Hopkins Medicine experts:
- Keep an eye on 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 can. 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. Give them something to drink that includes salt and sugar, such as a sports drink. If there is no improvement in your child despite doing all these things, then please take them to an emergency room immediately as they may need intravenous fluids to prevent heat stroke.
- Bring a water bottle with you and your children wherever you go to prevent dehydration. – Brandon Smith, M.D., M.P.H., associate medical director of the Harriet Lane Clinic, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
Children can get easily dehydrated when they sweat if they do not replace their body fluids. Dehydration also puts children at risk for more dangerous heat illnesses. Children need 4–8 cups of fluids each day, depending on their age, and that amount should be increased based on heat, humidity and activities.
- Dress children in sun-protective clothing and apply sunscreen when they go outside.–Anna Grossberg, M.D., director of pediatric dermatology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
All children — regardless of their skin tone — should wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. Sunscreen should be applied to exposed skin 15 to 30 minutes before going outside to allow for absorption. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours or after swimming, sweating or drying off with a towel.
- Always have a water watcher when swimming with children, and avoid playing in dangerous water. In addition to following general water safety tips, families should be aware of contaminated water sources, which can be a breeding ground for bacteria and can present several issues, from naegleria fowleri (“brain-eating amoeba”) to gastrointestinal issues. –Patrick Mularoni, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Florida is surrounded by water and leads the nation in drowning deaths for children under 5 years old. Responsible, attentive adults can take turns as the designated water watcher and be responsible at parties and events involving water, such as at a beach or pool, to keep a close eye on the kids. A dedicated water watcher who wears a “water watcher badge” is an important step in the layers of water safety to prevent accidental drowning. Bodies of water tend to get warmer this time of year, which can make conditions more favorable for breeding bacteria, so parents should be especially aware of accidental ingestion or water going up the nose, particularly in warm fresh water.
- Keep fireworks — including sparklers — away from children, and make sure children are supervised near a bonfire or grill. –Erica Hodgman, M.D., director of the Pediatric Burn Program at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Kids should never play with fireworks. Each year, nearly 2,000 children in the United States are treated for fireworks-related injuries. Burns can happen fast, and even sparklers can reach 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. If you use fireworks, make sure they are legal in the local area, and remember always use them outside with a bucket of water and a hose nearby. Soak fireworks and sparklers in water before throwing them away. Also, keep children away from fire pits and grills to prevent burns that can be caused when they get too close.
- Avoid grill brushes with metal wires to prevent accidental ingestion. –Meghan Martin, M.D., pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Wires from grill brushes can become dislodged and injure the mouth, throat or intestines. If your child experiences sudden difficulty swallowing, foreign body sensation in the throat, persistent vomiting abdominal distension and/or pain after eating food off a grill, it’s important for them to be seen by a medical professional for imaging tests to rule out the possibility of a bristle being consumed. Opting for safer grilling utensils is advised.
- Always ride, or insist your child rides, a bicycle, skateboard or scooter wearing a helmet.
–Leticia Ryan, M.D., M.P.H., director of pediatric emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Helmets can protect children from serious injuries. Studies show that bicycle helmets reduce head injury by 48% and serious head injury by 60%. Helmets should fit properly, be age appropriate and be worn consistently. Helmets should also have a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission certification label, indicating they meet federal safety standards.
- Ensure an unimpaired adult is driving a golf cart and children wear seatbelts when riding. –Danielle Mercurio, D.O., pediatric emergency medicine physician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Golf carts can now travel at very high speeds, causing them to tip over or passengers to fall off, resulting in severe injuries, especially when inexperienced drivers take a quick turn. Injuries from falling on the ground or being crushed by the golf cart’s roof are commonly seen in our emergency center. To avoid unintended serious injury, a responsible adult who is an experienced driver should always be the golf cart driver.
- Be mindful of bugs that thrive during the summer months. –Erica Prochaska, M.D., pediatric infectious diseases specialist, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Summer is often the peak season for ticks and insects such as mosquitoes, which can carry diseases. To prevent bites, wear long sleeves and pants tucked into socks when in wooded or grassy areas, along with close-toed shoes. Use Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents and follow instructions for use and age limits. Once inside, check your child for ticks and remove them using tweezers and pulling firmly upward. Kids should also bathe or shower within a few hours of coming inside, which could prevent ticks from latching on.
- Practice good hand hygiene. It is especially important to wash hands before eating or before touching the mouth or nose. Many types of germs that make us sick spread via unclean hands. –Allison Messina, M.D., chief of infectious disease at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Although cold and flu season is behind us, encouraging your kids to practice good hand hygiene throughout the year will help to keep them healthier no matter the season. Close contact with kids at summer camps can lead to increased chances for illness, so remind your children to wash their hands with soap and water or to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer to help keep the germs away.
- Consider other options of play instead of letting kids play on trampolines, which are the culprits of many injuries seen in the emergency center. –Wassam Rahman, M.D., medical director of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital Pediatric Emergency Center
Home trampolines are popular and seem like lots of fun, but they’re also dangerous. Every year in the U.S., they cause thousands of injuries, including concussion, broken bones, sprains, bruises, scrapes, cuts, and head and neck injuries that can lead to paralysis or death. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents not to buy a home trampoline. This includes mini trampolines and large outdoor trampolines. Parents are encouraged to engage their child in other physical activities, like riding a bike, playing team sports or playing backyard games.
- Avoid drinking water from splash pads, and wash hands after playing.
–Anna Sick-Samuels, M.D., M.P.H., pediatric infectious diseases specialist, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center
Splash pads are public aquatic venues that spray water to cool people off, and are sometimes considered a safer alternative to a traditional pool due to the decreased drowning risk. However, since the water sprays, is collected in drains and immediately recirculates back through the spray jets, splash pads may not be properly disinfected, causing the water to become contaminated with bacteria and germs from people’s bodies. If children have been feeling sick or have symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting, avoid using splash pads.
To interview an expert on summer injury prevention, contact Kim Polyniak, communications manager, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, at 443-510-5807 or [email protected], or Ashley Marshall, communications manager, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, at 727-767-2846 or [email protected].
To learn more about common summer injuries, visit the Johns Hopkins Medicine website.
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