Summer Safety Tips

Here are tips to keep your children safe this summer:

It is important to protect babies and young children from the sun. The best protection is avoidance of sun exposure. The sun is strongest between 10 am and 4 pm. Indirect sunlight (reflected off water or sand) can cause a burn as well as direct sunlight.

When in the sun, the best protection is lightweight clothing including hats with brims, long sleeve shirts, and long sleeve pants. Covering a child's entire body is not always possible or practical. Sunscreen (at least 15 SPF) can be used even on young babies. Apply to exposed body parts 30 minutes before sun exposure. Sunscreen should be reapplied every two hours and after swimming.

If it is very hot, try to deep your child well hydrated. Offer plenty of water starting before going outside. Remember that a baby or non-verbal child can't tell you that he is thirsty.

The most effective insect repellants for ticks and mosquitoes are those that contain DEET. Use products with 20 to 30 percent DEET. You can apply DEET to any child over two months of age. Wash it off when the child is back inside. Do not use combination sunscreen/insect repellants. Check your child for ticks at the end of the day. Ticks can carry Lyme Disease and other infections. If your child has a tick, remove it with tweezers by grasping the tick and firmly pulling it off the body.