Health Day News recently reported the following health safety tips for parents sending their children to summer camp.

Regular hand washing and proper hygiene are essential to avoiding common summer-camp health issues such as lice, pinworm and bathing-suit dermatitis, according to a former summer camp physician.

Dr. Alfred Scott Lea, now a professor of infectious disease at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, stated that making sure cuts and abrasions are clean is particularly important around lakes and rivers, where bacteria can cause potentially dangerous wound infections.

“Some of what kids encounter at camp and parents must endure — from colds and viruses to broken bones — is often just part of being a kid,” Lea said in a university news release. “But parents can take steps to help make their child’s summer as healthy and painless as possible. A little prep work, such as packing the right essentials and communicating with the camp nurse, can go a long way toward avoiding the most common problems.”

Lea suggested other ways to prepare children for potential health hazards, including:

• Focus on prevention. Be sure to pack essentials such as sunscreen and bug spray. It’s important to plan ahead for children who are on medications or have special needs, Lea said. “A lot of children need to bring medicines to camp for asthma, [attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder] and seizures, just to name a few,” he said. “Make sure the nurse knows how to administer these medicines and be sure to supply extra just to be safe. Also alert camps to dietary needs.”
• Voice concerns. Parents also should speak directly to the camp director to discuss any worries they may have, Lea said. “If you’re especially concerned about any activities or possible injuries, talk to the camp about what they’re doing to make safety a priority,” he said. “Worrying about a child horseback riding is normal, but you might feel better when you know your child will be wearing a helmet.”
• Be realistic. Parents should also recognize that not all camp injuries are preventable, Lea said. “Put 300 little kids in 20 cabins, encourage energy and competitiveness, and things happen,” he said. “Kids fall. Baseballs fly astray. Boys have sword fights with golf clubs. No amount of preparation can stop kids from being kids.”

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers more camping health and safety tips

The Infographic featured here is courtesy of Johnson Attorneys Group. http://www.californiainjuryaccidentlawyer.com)

 The following tips, on summer safety for children, are from a press release by SecuritySystemReviews.com

Summer is a time of outdoor activities and fun, but it’s also a time to maintain a high level of safety and security for children.

The  following water safety tips come from the American Academy of Pediatrics:

• Never leave children alone in or near the pool or spa, even for a moment.
• Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult – preferably one who knows how to swim and perform CPR – should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”
• Install a fence at least 4 feet high around all four sides of the pool. The fence should not have openings or protrusions that a young child could use to get over, under, or through.
• Make sure pool gates open out from the pool, and self-close and self-latch at a height children can’t reach. Consider alarms on the gate to alert you when someone opens the gate.
• If the house serves as the fourth side of a fence surrounding a pool, install an alarm on the exit door to the yard and the pool. For additional protection, install window guards on windows facing the pool. Drowning victims have also used pet doors to gain access to pools. Keep all of your barriers and alarms in good repair with fresh batteries.
• Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd’s hook — a long pole with a hook on the end — and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool. Choose a shepherd’s hook and other rescue equipment made of fiberglass or other materials that do not conduct electricity.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children and parents a false sense of security.
• Children ages 1 to 4 may be at a lower risk of drowning if they have had some formal swimming instruction. However, there is no evidence that swimming lessons or water survival skills courses can prevent drowning in babies younger than 1 year of age.
• The decision to enroll a 1- to 4-year-old child in swimming lessons should be made by the parent and based on the child’s developmental readiness, but swim programs should never be seen as “drown proofing” a child of any age.
• Avoid entrapment: Suction from pool and spa drains can trap a swimmer underwater. Do not use a pool or spa if there are broken or missing drain covers. Ask your pool operator if your pool or spa’s drains are compliant with the Pool and Spa Safety Act. If you have a swimming pool or spa, ask your pool service representative to update your drains and other suction fitting with anti-entrapment drain covers and other devices or systems. See PoolSafely.gov for more information on the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act.
• Large, inflatable, above-ground pools have become increasingly popular for backyard use. Children may fall in if they lean against the soft side of an inflatable pool. Although such pools are often exempt from local pool fencing requirements, it is essential that they be surrounded by an appropriate fence just as a permanent pool would be so that children cannot gain unsupervised access.
• If a child is missing, look for him or her in the pool or spa first.
• Share safety instructions with family, friends and neighbors.

Boating Safety

• Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats or near bodies of water.

• Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. The jacket should not be loose. It should always be worn as instructed with all straps belted.
• Blow-up water wings, toys, rafts and air mattresses should not be used as life jackets or personal flotation devices. Adults should wear life jackets for their own protection, and to set a good example.
• Adolescents and adults should be warned of the dangers of boating when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and even some prescription medications.

Open Water Swimming

• Never swim alone. Even good swimmers need buddies!
• A lifeguard (or another adult who knows about water rescue) needs to be watching children whenever they are in or near the water. Younger children should be closely supervised while in or near the water – use “touch supervision,” keeping no more than an arm’s length away.
• Make sure your child knows never to dive into water except when permitted by an adult who knows the depth of the water and who has checked for underwater objects.
• Never let your child swim in canals or any fast moving water.
• Ocean swimming should only be allowed when a lifeguard is on duty.
• Teach children about rip tides. If you are caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to shore until you escape the current, and then swim back to shore.

With summer around the corner, sunless tanning becomes a topic of discussion. We all know we shouldn’t expose our skin to the sun’s damaging rays to achieve a tanned look.

Here is what the staff of the Mayo Clinic shared about sunless tanning in an article on their website.

Sunless tanning is a practical alternative to sunbathing. Find out how sunless tanning products work, including possible risks and how to get the best results.

Sunless tanning products, also called self-tanners, can give your skin a tanned look without exposing it to harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Sunless tanning products are commonly sold as creams, gels, lotions and sprays you apply to your skin. Professional spray-on tanning also is available at many salons, spas and tanning businesses.

The active ingredient in most sunless tanning products is dihydroxyacetone (DHA). When applied to the skin, DHA reacts with dead cells in the outermost layer of skin to temporarily darken the skin’s appearance. The coloring doesn’t wash off, but it gradually fades as the dead skin cells slough off — typically within a few days.

Most sunless tanning products don’t contain sunscreen. If you spend time outdoors, sunscreen remains essential.

What about sunless tanning pills?

Sunless tanning pills, which typically contain the color additive canthaxanthin, are unsafe. When taken in large amounts, canthaxanthin can turn your skin orange and cause hives. Sunless tanning pills can also cause liver damage and lead to the formation of crystals in the retina of the eye (canthaxanthin retinopathy).

What can you expect from sunless tanning products?

Sunless tanning products typically go on clear. It usually takes about an hour to see results. Full color typically appears within eight to 24 hours. People who have medium complexions without freckles often get the best results.

Is sunless tanning safe?

Topical sunless tanning products are generally considered safe alternatives to sunbathing, as long as they’re used as directed.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved DHA for external application to the skin. However, the FDA hasn’t approved the use of DHA for application to areas near the eyes, mouth or nose. If you’re using a sunless tanning cream, it’s easy to avoid these areas. With spray tanning, this might be more difficult — since the product is usually applied to the whole body to ensure even color. Spray tanning might also cause you to inhale the product.

Further research is needed to determine the risks — if any — of this type of exposure. In the meantime, protect your eyes, mouth and nose when spray tanning and avoid inhaling the product. Be sure to wear goggles and nose plugs, and hold your breath while the spray is being applied.

What’s the best way to promote an even-looking tan with sunless tanning products?

Sunless tanning products can provide an even, natural-looking tan if they’re applied correctly and carefully. For best results, follow the package directions carefully. In general:

• Exfoliate first. Before using a sunless tanning product, wash your skin with a wash cloth or sponge to remove excess dead skin cells. If you typically shave your legs, do so before you apply the sunless tanning product for an even application.
• Use a light touch. Apply the sunless tanning product evenly and lightly. Use sparingly on dry or thickened skin, such as over your ankles, knees and elbows. If necessary, ask someone to help you apply sunless tanner to hard-to-reach spots.
• Save the tops of your hands for last. After you apply the product to your face and body, wash your hands with soap and water to avoid coloring your palms. Be sure to remove any product from under your fingernails. Then use a cotton ball to apply the sunless tanner to the top of each hand.
• Take time to dry. Wait to dress until the sunless tanner dries completely.

Remember, most sunless tanning products don’t contain sunscreen. If you spend time outdoors, protect your skin with generous amounts of sunscreen.