Stay safe this summer with these seasonal suggestions

Courtesy Hilton Head Regional Healthcare

Ahh, sweet summertime! Temperatures get hotter, days get longer, drinks get colder, and life gets a little better.

The hotter season also dishes out a few more risks like drowning, heat strokes and sunburn. The good news is that summer illnesses and injuries are usually preventable. Here are our tips for staying safe. Water safety. One of the best ways to cool off during the hot summer months is to jump into a pool or take a dip in the ocean. To avoid the potential for drownings, enroll your children in swim lessons, and make sure they learn and practice the five water survival skills: 1. Step or jump into water over your head and return to the surface. 2. Float or tread water for one minute. 3. Turn around in a full circle and find an exit from the water. 4. Swim 25 yards to the exit. 5. Exit from the water. If in a pool, be able to exit without using the ladder.

For children who don’t know how to swim yet, insist they wear fitted floatation devices. Also, put your phone or book down and make sure children in and/or near water are always supervised. Home pools should have at least a 4-foot-high enclosure fence and a self-latching gate.

Finally, learn CPR. If a child takes in water, minutes count and resuscitation should be started immediately.

Dehydration and heat stroke. Dehydration can be a serious heat-related disease that happens with a combination of overexposure to the sun and not drinking enough water. Our bodies make a tremendous amount of internal heat, and we normally cool ourselves by sweating and radiating heat through the skin.

In extreme heat, high humidity, or vigorous activity in the hot sun, this cooling system may begin to fail. If someone becomes dehydrated and cannot sweat enough to cool their body, their internal temperature can rise to dangerously high levels, causing heat stroke.

To avoid heat-related illnesses, drink plenty of fluids, especially when working or playing in the sun. Make sure you are taking in more fluid than you are losing. Try to schedule physical outdoor activities for the cooler parts of the day.

Sunburn. Almost everyone has had their skin scorched at least once in their lifetime. Sunburns are painful and can increase your risk of skin cancer. Wear sunscreen and lip balm with a sun protective factor (SPF) of 15 or higher. Reapply as needed and when you get out of the water. Cover up with clothing and a wide-brimmed hat to protect exposed skin. Drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic fluids.

Bug and snake bites. To avoid pesky bug bites, use insect repellent and citronella candles. Cover up with lightweight, longsleeved shirts and pants. Install or repair window and door screens. Eliminate mosquito breeding sites by dumping any sitting water around your property. While many snakes are innocent, venomous snakes include copperheads, coral snakes, cottonmouths, water moccasins and rattlesnakes. Familiarize yourself with the types of snakes here in the Lowcountry. If you see a snake, move at least six feet away and do not touch or harass the snake. Be cautious of where snakes may hide; some, like copperheads, frequently hide under leaves and are difficult to see due to camouflage.

Food poisoning. Food-borne illnesses peak in the summer months since heat provides the optimum breeding ground for bacteria to multiply rapidly. Be especially wary of food that’s been sitting out in the sun all day. Be sure to pack plenty of extra ice or freezer packs in your cooler to ensure a constant cold temperature.

Cheers to a safe and happy summer season!