HAVING FUN IN THE SUN!

Summer Safety Tips
The summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors and spend time together as a family. The sun feels great and with little precautions you can make sure the whole family stays safe and develops safe sun habits to last a lifetime.
The sun is the main cause of skin cancer, which is actually the most common form of cancer in the United States. This year a million new cases of skin cancer will be diagnosed. While most people are not diagnosed till adulthood, the cancer occurs because of sun exposure much earlier in life. In fact most of our sun exposure – between 60 and 80- percent – happens before we turn 18 years old. In addition to their association with skin cancer, sunburns also hurt and can cause dehydration and fever.
Babies under 6 months: Babies have sensitive skin that is thinner than adult skin. This causes them to sunburn more easily than an adult. Even babies with naturally darker skin need protection. Avoiding sun exposure by keeping out of direct sunlight and dressing infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck are still the top recommendations from the AAP to prevent sunburn. However when adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of suncreen with at least 15 SPF to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands. If your baby gets a sunburn and is younger than 1 year of age, contact your doctor at once - a severe sunburn is an emergency.
For Young Children: Choose sunscreen that is made for children, preferably waterproof. Before covering your child completely, test the sunscreen on your child's back for a reaction and if a rash develops talk to your pediatrician. Apply carefully around the eyes, avoiding the eyelids. Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside with an SPF of at least 15. Sunscreens that are "waterproof" should be reapplied every two hours, especially if your child is playing in the water. The sun's rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. so try to keep out of the sun during these hours. If your child gets a sunburn that results in blistering, pain or fever, contact your pediatrician.
For Older Children: The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave. Also stay in the shade whenever possible, and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours - between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen - about one ounce per sitting for a young adult and reapply sunscreen every two hours, or after swimming or sweating. Zinc Oxide is a very effective sunblock that can be used as extra protection on the nose, cheeks, and tops of ears and shoulders. Use extra caution near water, snow, and sand as they reflect UV rays and may result in sunburn more quickly.
The summer is also a great time to enjoy water sports, especially swimming. If you have a pool at home make sure to install a fence at least four-feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through and make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can't reach. Ensure that you never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment. Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm's length, providing "touch supervision." Floaties or swim classes for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning. According to the American Academy of Pediatric guidelines, Children may not be developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday.
The summer is also a time to enjoy other outdoor activities such as riding bicycles, rollerblading, or skateboarding. Most kids are not ready to ride a 2-wheeled bike until about the age of 5 or 6. Consider your child’s coordination as well as their desire to learn to ride. Take your child with you when you shop for the bike, so that he or she can try it out. The value of a properly fitting bike far outweighs the value of surprising your child with a new one. Buy a bike that is the right size, not one your child has to "grow into." Your child needs to wear a helmet EVERY time they are on a bike, scooter, or skateboard no matter how close to home they are. The use of a helmet all the time develops a helmet wearing habit. Additionally, many accidents happen in driveways, in backyards, on sidewalks, and on bike paths, not just on streets. Children learn best by observing you so whenever you ride, put on your helmet.
While outside many kids will get bitten by mosquitoes or other bugs. To avoid bug bites don’t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays on your child and avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom. In cases of a bee or wasp sting, to remove a visible stinger from skin, gently scrape it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail. Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided as sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied. Insect repellents containing DEET are most effective against ticks and mosquitoes. The benefits of DEET reach a peak at a concentration of 30 percent, which is the maximum concentration currently recommended for infants and children. Importantly, DEET should not be used on children under 2 months of age.
Summer vacation is a good time to schedule yearly physicals. Please schedule physicals at least a few weeks in advance to make sure that we have availability with your physician. Also many schools require health forms to be filled out before the end of the summer. You can bring the forms in with you or fax us the forms at your convenience to 818-986-7789. There is a small fee for filling out these forms and please allow 5-7 business days for us to complete the forms.
Have a wonderful and safe summer!
Much of this information can be found on the American Academy of Pediatrics Summer Safety Tips Copyright © 2007 American Academy of Pediatrics.


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