Finally, the good weather has arrived; our life suddenly becomes more social and luckily, children have a chance to spend a lot of time outdoors running and having fun. Spring and summer present different types of health and safety hazards from autumn and winter. So what are the most common dangers for children, and what do you need to prepare for this time of the year?
- Stings and Bites: The spring and summer months see a significant increase in stings and mosquito bites. Symptoms of stings and bites can generally be annoying; however, matters can become very serious if the person is allergic or if symptoms such as dizziness, shortness of breath, loss of consciousness, or extreme swelling start manifesting. In those extreme cases, it is best to call an ambulance and begin treatment for an allergic reaction. If things don’t go that far, treatment of stings can be fairly easy. First, remove the stinger (if it has been left inside). You can do this by scraping along the area with a flat edge—be careful, if you squeeze the area it can become more infected. Afterwards, you can apply a specific sting relief product and bandage the area. This is particularly useful for children as it will stop them from rubbing and scabbing the sting.
- Sunburn: Symptoms of sunburn will start to manifest between two to six hours after exposure. Symptoms include pain, red skin, blisters, weakness, dehydration and, if the sunburn is severe, fainting and fever. After several days, the sunburned skin will peel. There are several things you can do to make the process easier:
- Give your child extra fluids to avoid dehydration.
- Use cool wet compresses on the sunburned areas.
- Have your child take cool baths or showers.
- Use painkillers.
- Apply soothing lotions, particularly those containing Aloe Vera.
- If the sunburn is severe, go to the doctor as some stronger prescription medication will be helpful.
- Scrapes and Cuts: It is almost impossible for an active and curious child to avoid some cuts and scrapes. Deep cuts will require stitches or some sort of medical assistance. For small cuts, almost all bleeding can be stopped by pressurising the wound with a clean gauze for five or ten minutes. It is a mistake to stop pressurising too early to check the wound. When the bleeding stops:
- Wash the wound with soap and water for a few minutes. This is important as it will decrease the chance of infection.
- Apply antibacterial product and cover the cut with a bandage until it is healed.
- Bruises: Bruises will need medical attention if they seem very painful, swollen, or infected. If your child has a fever or if the bruise happens after a serious accident or head or abdominal injury, you will also need medical advice. For small, mild bruises, you can do the following:
- Put a cold pack in a towel and hold it against the bruise for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Repeat the cold pack, but no more than once an hour.
- Do not hold ice or anything frozen against a child’s skin.
- If possible, elevate the bruised area to reduce swelling.
- Don’t use ibuprofen as it may prolong the bleeding.
We hope these tips will be helpful!