Kids love to play outside during the hot summer months, so parents must not forget to protect them from sunburn.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these suggestions:
- Apply sunscreen all over the child's face and body, and remember to reapply every two hours, or after the child gets wet.
- Make sure sunscreen is at least SPF 15 and offers protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply it even on cloudy days.
- Dress your child in lightweight cotton clothing that covers the legs and arms, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses that offer UVA and UVB protection.
- Encourage your child to play and rest in the shade when the sun's rays are strongest -- between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
- Be aware that spending time in or near the water usually increases the risk of sunburn from the water's reflection.
Health Tip: Set Rules for Swimming
Once it gets hot, kids are naturally drawn to playing in and near water. But thousands of kids end up in emergency rooms each year because of near-drownings, and more than 1,000 under age 14 drown.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these guidelines to help keep you and your family safe at the pool:
- Never leave children unsupervised in or around a pool -- particularly an inflatable pool -- even for a moment.
- All pools should be surrounded by a fence at least 4 feet high without any openings that a child could squeeze through. The gate latch should be out of a child's reach.
- Don't rely on devices such as "floaties," which don't offer enough protection to keep a child from drowning.
- Provide swimming lessons for children as appropriate. Parents should be CPR-certified.
- Make sure pool drain covers are not broken or missing.
- Keep equipment -- such as a rescue hook and life preservers -- nearby at all times.
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