Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare | Health Scene | Summer 2018

Don’t forget sunglasses. They protect your eyes from sun exposure and also reduce your risk of cataracts. Wraparound sunglasses that block 99 to 100 percent of all UV light are the best choice. Blot sweat. Use a clean towel or cloth. Wiping can irritate your skin and cause breakouts if you’re prone to acne. Caution: Kids at play 6 t ips to help keep kids safe thi s summer Ah, to be a carefree kid of summer. There’s no school, and there’s sunshine all the time. But it’s not all fun and games out there. Some summertime activities for kids call for vigilance on the part of parents and others. For instance: Be water-wise. Children of all ages need a responsible adult to supervise them when around water. Watch kids at all times, and avoid distractions— like answering texts—even if lifeguards are on duty. Children can drown quickly. Never let kids swim in canals or other swift water. If your family goes boating, everyone needs to wear a life jacket. Insist on helmets. Children need bike helmets— even when riding in driveways—to help prevent devastating head injuries.They also need proper helmets (and other protective gear) for skateboards or scooters. School them on road safety. Remind children of a few road rules for cyclists: Ride on the right, facing the same direction as traffic. Obey all traffic signs. Don’t ride at night. Practice sun safety. Help children avoid painful sunburns (which boost their skin cancer risk later in life) and dangerous overheating. Steer kids to shade whenever possible, and have them wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30 that blocks both UVA and UVB rays. Provide plenty of water to drink when kids are active in the heat. Give playground equipment a quick safety check. For instance, are there cushioning safety mats, sand or wood chips? Any bolts or other sharp surfaces sticking out from slides? When in doubt, pick another place to play. Leave the fireworks to the pros. Even sparklers can burn hotter than 1,000 degrees! Check out professional fireworks displays, and avoid the DIY thing. Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics; American College of Emergency Physicians 1 2 3 4 5 6 Children’s health Summer skin: How to keep yours healthy Get shady. Hang out in the shade— say, under an umbrella or leafy tree—when you’re outdoors. Be pool smart. Even when it’s hot and humid, you can still have dry, irritated skin—and often the culprit is pool water. Keep your skin moist by showering immediately after a dip in any pool. Use fresh clean water and a mild cleanser or body wash made for swimmers. Cover up. Whenever possible, wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants outside. Tightly woven fabrics provide the best protection from the sun’s damaging rays. Top off with a hat. To protect your face, ears and the back of your neck from the sun, wear a hat with a broad rim all the way around. Slather on sunscreen. Go for one that offers broad-spectrum protection, has an SPF of 30 or higher, and is water-resistant. Reapply every two hours or after swim- ming, sweating or toweling off. Time your outdoor workouts. Exercise during the cool- est part of the day. You’ll reduce your risk of prickly heat (heat rash) if you don’t sweat profusely. Sources: American Academy of Dermatology; American Academy of Ophthalmology; National Institute on Aging; Skin Cancer Foundation SUMMER 2018 3