Three spring safety tips to keep in mind when you’re heading outside.
Spring’s warmer temperatures and bright sunshine invite us to enjoy the outdoors. But as you head out to bike and barbecue, follow these spring safety tips to keep your family safe and healthy.
Spring Safety Tip #1: Allergy control
It’s not long after plants and trees release pollen, that we begin to sniffle and sneeze. Seasonal allergies affect 10 to 30 percent of adults and up to 40 percent of children. Symptoms include sneezing, coughing, nasal congestion and itchy eyes, ears or throat.
Talk with your primary care doctor if your child develops symptoms similar to those of a cold at the same time every year or has cold-like symptoms for more than a week or two. Your doctor can prescribe medication or recommend other treatments to control allergy symptoms.
At home, you can limit indoor pollen exposure. Be sure to close doors and windows when pollen counts are high and remind family members to remove shoes and change clothes after working or playing outside. Regular dusting and vacuuming also help remove trapped allergens.
Spring Safety Tip #2: Sun protection
While the sun may not yet feel too strong, it’s important to protect skin that’s been covered all winter long. In their eagerness to get outside, kids can be especially susceptible. On average, children receive 50 to 80 percent of their lifetime sun exposure by age 18. Too much sun can lead to skin cancer and premature aging.
To protect the skin, adults and children over six months should wear sunscreen SPF 30 or higher while outside. Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before exposure and reapply every two hours or immediately after swimming or sports. For extra protection, wear sun hats, pants and long sleeves.
Spring Safety Tip #3: Sport safety
Ensure children and teens use proper protective gear as they head outdoors for biking, skateboarding and playing sports.
Each year, about 500,000 children are seriously injured in bike accidents. Most of these could be prevented by proper helmet use. When biking, children should wear high-visibility clothing and a well-fitted helmet certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission or Snell Memorial Foundation. Teach children to use hand signals and obey the rules of the road, and keep bikes in good working order.
What are your spring safety tips? Share in the comments, below!
