This summer is in full force with nearly the entire country facing heat wave after heat wave. Summer almost always brings the sunshine and warm temperatures to the extreme year after year, but it’s always important to make sure your children understand and follow the rules when it comes to these hot summer days.
Always Wear Sunscreen
Children (and parents alike) oftentimes don’t think about the intrinsic value of sunscreen. They just want to run out the door and into nature! But making sure they are wearing sunscreen is crucial to their overall health. Even if they will only be outdoors for a short amount time, like half an hour, it is still vital that they slather on the protection. People’s skin is very susceptible to the sun rays, and these summer days are seemingly bringing the high UV rays. Children especially are still growing and building up their immunity, so being safe and applying sunscreen can help their skin dramatically.
Stay Hydrated
It’s equally important to stay hydrated during the summer months. Drinking water is critical to your child’s health in general, let alone when the temperatures are near (or surpassing) triple digits. Too often, children are drinking carbonated, sugary drinks that aren’t necessarily hydrating them either. And when they combine that with playing outdoors for an extended amount of time, this can cause dehydration very quickly. Make sure they are drinking plenty of water and even an electrolyte replenisher every once in a while. Water will take care of most hydrating, but sometimes a little kick from something like Gatorade or Powerade can also help, but doesn’t necessarily need to be all the time either.
Avoid Direct Sun
We as creatures do need some sunshine in our lives on a daily basis. Vitamin D can come from direct sun exposure, but you also need to be conscious of how much and not spending too much time in those direct rays. Children can easily get overheated or sunburned if they are in direct sunlight for too long. Typically 10-15 minutes in direct sunlight during peak heat hours is all that’s needed, but it can vary from person to person. Speaking with your pediatrician can give you a better idea of what’s right for your children, as skin tones can play a factor and any underlying medical conditions too. Your children can easily play in the sun for a few minutes but then make sure they head for some shade afterwards so as not to overdo the exposure times.
Be safe out there!
Katie Kyzivat