Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Prime Minister of Yemen’s Houthi Government Killed in Israeli Strike

2 days ago

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Signs Law Redrawing Congressional Maps

3 days ago

US Air Force will Offer Military Funeral Honors to Slain Capitol Rioter

3 days ago

US Republican Senator Joni Ernst Will Not Run for Re-Election, CBS News Reports

3 days ago

Wall Street Falls as Dell, Nvidia Drive Tech Losses

3 days ago

US Denies Visas to Palestinian Officials Ahead of UN General Assembly

3 days ago

Minneapolis Children Revealed Courage, Absorbed Fear During Church Shooting

3 days ago

Ford Recalls Nearly 500,000 Vehicles Over Brake Fluid Leak

4 days ago

Fresno-Bound Passenger Says Delta Attendant Slapped Him, Seeks $20M

4 days ago
Kids Spend a Lot of Time Outside in the Summer. Here's How to Deal with Their Common Injuries
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 1 year ago on
July 6, 2024

As summer beckons children outdoors, parents must be prepared to handle common injuries like scrapes, sunburns, and dehydration, according to pediatricians. (AP File)

Share

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

For kids, summer can revolve around playgrounds, pools, bikes and just being outside. For parents, it can mean a litany of ouchies to take care of — including scrapes, sunburns and dehydration, pediatricians say.

“Kids should play and have every opportunity to use their imagination, but we need to take precautions to keep them as safe as possible,” Dr. Danielle Mercurio, a pediatrician at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.

Here are the top things pediatricians say you should keep an eye on.

What to Do When Your Child is Overheated

It’s important to take precautions in warmer weather, especially with younger kids, who are more susceptible to heat illness, Mercurio said. That means keeping a water bottle with them when they’re outside, wearing sun-protective clothing and mineral sunscreen and not staying in the sun too long.

Parents also should monitor kids for signs of fatigue and pay attention to the warmth and color of their skin — if it’s red and hot, they probably need to take a break inside or under a shaded area.

You should also know what the three different types of heat illness are, Mercurio said, each more severe than the next.

The first is heat cramps, and the only remedy is giving kids fluids that contain electrolytes — like coconut water or sports drinks — to replenish salts that the body lost from sweating.

The next level is heat exhaustion, which causes nausea, vomiting and feeling weak or anxious. It’s typically accompanied by a fever. You can try taking the child into a cooler area, giving them fluids, spraying them with water or putting them in front of a fan to cool them off.

If your child has all of those all of those symptoms and is also acting confused or responding strangely, that’s a heat stroke, which warrants a trip to the hospital.

Are Fireworks Safe for Kids?

Fireworks are fun and bright, but they’re not for kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping children away from all fireworks.

Even sparklers can be dangerously hot, said Dr. Poj Lysouvakon, the University of Chicago’s Pediatric Injury Prevention Program director.

He also says to avoid fireworks shows unless they’re sponsored by a government agency and put on by professionals in a controlled setting.

How to Play in Water Safely

Pools, lakes and other bodies of water are common sites for summertime injuries, Lysouvakon said.

One must-have, he said: A designated adult whose only job is monitoring the pool while kids are in it. If you have an above-ground pool, make sure it’s fenced in with 4-foot walls to keep kids out when there aren’t adults around.

Any type of water can be a source of drowning — even an inch can be dangerous for little ones, said Dr. Christina Kratlian at Boston Children’s Hospital. She suggests draining, flipping and deflating inflatable pools after every use.

And if a child is rescued from the water and has experienced choking or difficulty breathing or lethargy, that might mean there is water in their lungs, and that requires medical attention, according to Dr. Danielle Grant from Texas Children’s Hospital.

Soothing Scrapes and Bruises

Kids fall off bikes and fall down on trampolines, and they might come back in with scrapes and bruises.

If your kid is on a bike, they should be wearing a helmet, experts say; make sure it fits correctly and the strap is snug under a child’s chin. Trampoline injuries are common, too, especially when there’s more than one kid on at a time.

Parents should make sure that if kids go to a playground, it “matches the child’s age,” Kratlian said. For example, a little toddler shouldn’t be in a large swing that doesn’t fit them or climbing tall structures. Metal slides can get hot under the sun, so check it before a kid launches down one.

Most scrapes can be taken care of at home by cleaning them and applying antibacterial ointments and bandages, especially if they’re not infected.

But any time there’s a significant fall, especially on the head, take your child to the doctor. Other warning signs include inability to move an arm, leg or joint; big cuts; and redness, puss, heat or streaking around a cut or scrape.

When in doubt, Grant said, call your pediatrician.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

DON'T MISS

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

DON'T MISS

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

DON'T MISS

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

DON'T MISS

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

DON'T MISS

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

DON'T MISS

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

DON'T MISS

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

DON'T MISS

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

DON'T MISS

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

UP NEXT

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

UP NEXT

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

UP NEXT

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

UP NEXT

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

UP NEXT

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

UP NEXT

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

UP NEXT

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

UP NEXT

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

UP NEXT

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

16 hours ago

Labor Day Quiz: Do You Know What a Knocker-Upper Is?

17 hours ago

Bulldogs Check All the Boxes in Runaway Win Over Georgia Southern

1 day ago

Judge Blocks Pillar of Trump’s Mass Deportation Campaign

2 days ago

Classic Cars Will Still Need a Smog Test in California After Lawmakers Reject Jay Leno Bill

2 days ago

Visalia Driver Arrested for DUI After Multiple Crashes and Pedestrian Injured

2 days ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

A lightning-sparked wildfire, the Garnet Fire, in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres in Fresno County and remains at 8% cont...

16 hours ago

Photo: USDA - Forest Service Tanker 40 at Fresno Air Attack Base. The Fresno County Garnet Fire in the Sierra National Forest has burned 18,748 acres and is 8% contained as crews make progress on containment lines while bracing for possible thunderstorms early this week. (Sam Wu/USFS)
16 hours ago

Fresno County Garnet Fire Grows to 18,748 Acres in Sierra National Forest

U.S. flag and Judge gavel are seen in this illustration taken, August 6, 2024. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

US Judge Blocks Deportations of Unaccompanied Migrant Children to Guatemala

Smoke rises from Gaza after an explosion, as seen from the Israeli side of the border, August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Amir Cohen)
16 hours ago

Israel Pounds Gaza City Suburbs, Netanyahu to Convene Security Cabinet

Demonstrators hold a banner during the 'March for Australia' anti-immigration rally, in Sydney, Australia, August 31, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
16 hours ago

Thousands in Australia March Against Immigration, Government Condemns Rally

President Donald Trump walks on the grounds of the Trump National Golf Club in Sterling, Virginia, U.S., August 30, 2025. (Reuters/Nathan Howard)
16 hours ago

Trump Says He Will Order Voter ID Requirement for Every Vote

Activists Yasemin Acar, Greta Thunberg and Thiago Avila attend a press conference before the departure of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a humanitarian expedition to Gaza, at the port of Barcelona, Spain August 31, 2025. (Reuters/Eva Manez)
16 hours ago

Greta Thunberg Joins Flotilla Heading for Gaza With Aid

National Guard troops wear gas masks during protests against federal immigration sweeps, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 12, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Chicago Mayor Says Police Will Not Aid Federal Troops or Agents

A view of tents sheltering Palestinians displaced by the Israeli military offensive, in Gaza City, August 23, 2025. (Reuters File)
16 hours ago

Post-War Gaza Plan Sees Relocation of Population, ‘Digital Token’ for Palestinian Land: Washington Post

Search

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Send this to a friend