Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Children of all age enjoy the freedom of not having to go to school each day, and the warm weather encourages everyone to get up early and go outside. Summer safety does not mean the end of having fun. Using these tips for summer safety will only improve summer fun because your children will not have to stay home injured or sick watching their friends running about.
10 Summer Safety Tips for Canada
As your kids set off to have their daily summer fun, being aware of potential hazards and these safety tips can keep them healthy and safe.
1. Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is one of the top five injuries or illnesses that children experience during summer. Your children should be especially careful when playing outside between 10 am and 4 pm. Make sure they understand how to stay hydrated during the day and encourage them to take breaks in the shade or inside during the day so that they can cool off. Signs of heat exhaustion can range from feeling weak and nauseous to vomiting and passing out. Always monitor your children in the heat. If their face or skin looks flush, it is time to cool off and get something to drink.
2. Sun Burns
Summer safety tips must include preventing sunburns. Sun Burns are painful, and if not cared for can lead to sun poisoning. Make sure that your child wears sunscreen and reapplies it during the day. This is yet another reason to encourage breaks during the day away from the sun.
3. Bug Bites
Mosquitos are most active at sunrise and in the evening at sunset with ticks are also more active during the summer months. Ticks are often found in tall grass and wooded areas. If your child is going outside to play, check them for ticks when they get home. Tick-borne illnesses have been increasing in the last few years. Avoid scratching the bite. They can become infected.
4. Stings
Bees and wasps are more active during the summer and are attracted to sweet smelling things. Tell your children what to look for when they are playing outside so that they can avoid going near a bee or wasp nest. Summer safety must include explaining to your children how to avoid or get away from bees – run as fast as you can as far as you can, bees generally give up after 300 feet – and not to squeeze the stingers out. Squeezing the stingers can release more toxins into the system. Have an adult or supervisor tend to the sting. Ice or cold water can help with the pain.
5. Bike Safely
Summer safety for kids must address bike helmets. Bike related accidents are another leading cause for emergency room visits. Protect your child from head injuries by using a helmet at all times and follow the rules of the road. Making sure your kids are familiar with the rules of the road and how to avaod dangers and obsticles while riding can save you a trip to the emergency room.
6. Swimming Safety
Children should never swim alone – ever. If there are no lifeguards available, the children should only swim with one or more friends and preferably with a parent or supervisor present. Summer safety rules for swimming should apply year-round for indoor pools too. Rules of the pool should apply to private pools as well. Dangerous behavior such as running or diving into the shallow end should be off-limits. Watch your children if they swallow too much water. Dry drowning is all too common and is preventable. If your child becomes increasingly lethargic, has difficulty breathing, coughing or chest pain take them to the emergency immediately.
7. Fireworks
Summer safety tips Canada would not be complete without addressing firework use. Children should never set off fireworks by themselves or under supervision. This is something that should only be conducted by an adult with children a safe distance away from the fireworks.
8. Boat Safety
Life jackets should be used at all times. It does not matter how well your child can swim. Children may panic if they fall into the water. Teach your children that a boat is not a toy. Show them where the danger is and where they can be safely. Giving them more knowledge of the boat can give them a sense of responsibility and control of themselves reducing potiental mishaps.
9. Cuts and Scrapes
Child safety lists often do not address regular cuts and scrapes. However, summer is the perfect time of year for bacteria to grow. Regular cuts and scraps can quickly become infected during this time of year and should be cleaned and covered promptly. Healing can itch. Have you children avoid scratching thier scabs. They may become infected.
10. Dog Bites
Every summer safety for kids list should address dog bites. With more children outside playing during the summer months, there is a higher risk for interaction with dogs. Never allow your child to go up to a dog without asking the owner first. Some dogs do not like kids no matter how well behaved the kids or dog may be. Teach your children how to talk, touch, and behave around dogs. We cannot assume our children already know and we can’t assume we know how an animal will react to a child.
Enjoy Yourself
Summer is almost always associated with some of our best memories from childhood. The best way to make those memories is to remain safe. No one wants to remember a summer they had to stay inside because they were injured. If your child is injured during the summer, consult with a lawyer about the event. In some cases, you may be able to seek compensation for your child for the injuries that they received.
