News & Information

Summer Safety Tips
School's Out, but Safety is Not

New York, NY (June 23, 2008) – School may be out for the summer, but safety should still be parents’ primary concern, especially as children will be in and around the home much more than usual.  Summer is a time for fun around the house and in the sun.  Keep the good times going all summer long by following these simple summer safety tips:

• To avoid heat-related illnesses, make sure to dress children appropriately for the weather.  While outside, children should be dressed in lightweight, light-colored clothing, which will reflect some of the sun’s energy.  Also, it is important to wear hats or use an umbrella to shield the sun’s rays.

• Always stay hydrated.  Parents should always carry water or juice for their children.  As well, children should try to drink often, even if they are not thirsty.

• Keep the bugs away!  To prevent itchy bug bites, dress children in light-colored, loose fitting clothes and apply repellent.  It is safe to use insect repellent with DEET on infants as young as two months.  Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.

• Summer brings the bells of the ice cream truck and other fun activities taking place outside.  Make sure to keep furniture away from windows to discourage children from climbing near windows to catch a view.  As important, install only cordless window coverings in young children’s bedrooms and sleeping areas and replace all window coverings in the home with today’s safer products, in order to help prevent strangulation hazards. For more information on safe window coverings, visit www.windowcoverings.org.

• Prepare for summer ahead of time by teaching your children to swim.  Learning to swim is a fun, yet important way to increase safety in and around the pool and water.  Parents should always maintain constant supervision, no matter what swimming skills children have acquired and how shallow the water.