Healthy Kids | Summer 2006

Summer 2006

Playing It Safe for More Summer Fun Preventing burns, bugs and boo-boos ■ An interview with David Tejeda, M.D., pediatrician

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ach summer brings an influx of children’s injuries to the pediatrician’s office and hospital emer- ALL AGES gency rooms. While many of these injuries occur while boating, swimming, bicycling or skateboarding; others come from burns caused by barbecues and fireworks. Parents can avoid having these hazards ruin their children’s summer vacation by educating themselves about the potential dangers of common activities.

Water safety “Drowning is a leading cause of unintentional death from injury among young people,” says David Tejeda, M.D., medical director of Ambulatory Pediatrics at California Pacific Medical Center. “Whenever you are in or near the water, you should supervise young children at all times, especially if they are non-swimmers. It is imperative to enclose outdoor pools within a locked fence. Using flotation devices is fine, but you should never rely solely on them to protect a child from drowning. No one, not even an adult, should ever swim alone. Dr. Tejeda also suggests making sure the water is deep enough when your children are diving — especially in lakes or rivers where the bottom cannot be seen. “It’s also important to have your children wear life preservers while waterskiing, boating or rafting,” he adds. “And, of course, you need to watch out for the undertow when swimming at the beach.” Sun exposure “Sunburns are not only very painful, but also can lead to the development of skin cancer in later years,” Dr. Tejeda notes. “To protect your child, you should apply sunscreen continued on page 5 www.cpmc.org

INSIDE: 2 Kids and fiber 3 Treating a child’s allergies 4 Kindergarten readiness 5 Sports physicals 6 Car trips with children 7 Infant massage therapy