As
summer begins to wind down, remember that August is considered the warmest
month of the year so it is important to remain cautious of summer risks.
- A Hot Car Is No
Place for Kids. It only takes 10 minutes for a car to heat up 20
degrees. While some assume that cracking a window helps, partial ventilation only
helps a little. A child’s body temperature can rise up to five times faster
than an adult’s and once a child’s temperature reaches 107 degrees,
heat-related death may result. Heatstroke can happen when the temperature
outside is as low as 57 degrees.
- Be Cautious On
the Playground. The sun can cause playground equipment to become
very hot, which could lead to burns on kids’ sensitive skin. A quick touch test
before playtime begins helps.
-
Humid Weather Is
Dreadful for Allergy and Asthma Sufferers. Watery
eyes, congestion, runny noses, sinus headaches, and sneezing increases as the
air quality decreases with humidity. Use air purifiers in the home to enhance
breathing and use the air conditioners to keep windows closed. Note: shower
before bed to remove access pollen off of the body and use neti-pots to clear
nasal passageways if congested.
-
Mosquitos Fly
During Warm Weather. Pick the right bug repellant. DEET, a common
ingredient in most bug sprays, can be about 10% to work. For longer days
outdoors, 20% DEET proves more effective. Always consult a physician before
applying bug repellent to children under the age of three.
-
The Warmest
Month Can Bring the Hottest Sun. Sunscreen, containing at least 15 SPF, should be
applied before outdoor activity and reapplied according to the label
instructions. Along with skin protection, UV-filtered lenses should be used to
protect eyes from sun exposure, some say brown lens are best.
