9 Common Summer Ailments and How to Treat Them
Kids get hurt, and accidents happen all the time. In the Summer months when kids are swimming, when they're running free outdoors, and when the sun and bugs are wreaking havoc, it doesn't hurt to take a few extra precautions against some of the most common injuries and ailments your kid could experience (and learn how to treat them efficiently!).
Read through to find out how to prevent and treat nine of the most common Summer maladies.
Disclaimer: We are by no means medical professionals, so if you are concerned about an injury or illness your child has, consult your pediatrician.
Squeeze a tweezer as close to the skin as possible to grip an exposed splinter. For kids afraid of tweezers, combine baking soda with a touch of water and spread it over the splinter. Cover with a bandage and in about an hour you’ll be able to push the splinter out.
Little accidents happen, especially outdoors in the Summer. No need to whip out the hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol for every minor cut and scrape, as they could irritate the area. Wash your hands thoroughly and rinse the wound with cool water to remove any dirt. Use a bit of unscented soap to clean the cut and send them on their way!
To soothe a sunburn, use aloe gel cubes that have been frozen in an ice tray. To avoid the sunburn in the first place, plan outdoor activities for early morning, late afternoon, or the evening to stay out of the sun during its strongest hours. Be sure to cover kids up as much as possible when they’re outdoors, and apply safe sunscreens throughout the day (and avoid harmful ones!)
Common during hot, humid weather, heat rash can appear as blisters or itchy red bumps on the skin. Though it normally clears up on its own, you can treat at home by applying an ice pack to the irritated area or coating in an over-the-counter cream meant to treat cracked, dry, or irritated skin and minor burns.
If your child is exhibiting any signs of sun poisoning — fatigue, dizziness, vomiting, fever, rashes — get him out of the sun right away, have him sip water, and allow him to soak in a cool bath. If the symptoms continue or get worse, take your child to the pediatrician.
Apply a bit of ice to a bite to reduce swelling and apply a hydrocortisone cream or calamine lotion to keep itching at bay. Discourage scratching as much as possible to avoid little fingernails piercing the bite and allowing bacteria to get in (keep fingernails trim all Summer just in case!). Use safe bug sprays throughout the Summer to avoid further bites.
Take precautions against ticks by clearing any tall grass or piles of old leaves in the yard, mowing the lawn frequently, keeping play things and patios away from yard edges and trees, and creating a wood chip barrier between the yard line and any wooded areas.
Perform regular tick checks every day and remove any ticks by grasping the tick as close to the skin as possible with a fine-tipped tweezer and steadily pulling upward until it is removed. Dispose of live ticks in a sealed container filled with rubbing alcohol.
If your child develops a rash or fever weeks after removing a tick, take her to see the pediatrician and give the doctor as much information as much as possible about the tick bite.
Swimmer’s ear is an infection that occurs when water is retained inside the ear after swimming, which creates a moist environment for bacteria to grow in. It can be treated with ear drops, but you can also help to prevent swimmer’s ear by drying ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing and avoiding aggressive cleaning with cotton swabs or other foreign objects. If your child is itching his ears or complaining of pain after swimming, he may have swimmer’s ear; should the symptoms get severe, consult a doctor.
Bike and Playground Falls
Many falls and injuries occur on playgrounds and while riding bikes. Take kids to a playground that has mulch or squishy tire pieces on the ground, rather than concrete, to prevent serious injuries. While riding bikes, make sure your child always wears a helmet and walks his bike across intersections, and make sure that the bike has been adjusted to fit properly.