Help your family stay safe and healthy this summer by following these ten tips provided by the pediatricians of Skagit Regional Health.

Sun Safety – Spring and summer are great times to take advantage of summer weather to get outside and exercise. However, it is important to follow these sun-safety tips.

• Apply sunscreen to children 6-months-old and up when going outside. Dress younger babies in long sleeved clothing and a large brimmed hat.
  
• Wearing a hat and light colored clothing with long sleeves and long pants is a great option for older kids to shield their skin from the sun. Long sleeves also serve as a layer of protection against insect bites.
  
• Apply SPF 30 (or higher) sunscreen on your kids (and yourself) daily. Reapply every 2 hours. Focus on mineral sunscreens that provide a protective layer on the skin, rather than chemical sunscreens that absorb into the skin.
  
• Don’t assume that your sunscreen will protect you 100%. Stay out of the sun during the sunniest parts of the day: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  

Water Safety – Kids spend more time in and around water in the warm weather months. Remember these water-safety tips when at the lake, ocean or pool.

• Learning how to swim is an important skill. Sign your children up for swimming lessons as young as one year of age. Make sure that an adult who can swim well is always watching children in the water and is not distracted by a smartphone or even a book. 
  
• Use life vests on kids in open water. Remember that floatation devices (arm floaties, rafts, etc.) are not meant to keep children from drowning.

Miscellaneous

• Remember that window screens are meant to keep bugs out, not children in. Children can easily fall out an open window with an intact screen. 
• Children should use a bike helmet every time they ride.
• When the weather gets warm it is especially important to drink water regularly to prevent dehydration.
• This time of year, there is an abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables. Challenge your family to eat at least one meal a day with real ingredients that have never had a label on them.

Pediatricians care for newborns through age 18. They provide care for routine, acute and chronic conditions. Skagit Regional Health offers pediatrics in Arlington and Mount Vernon.

To schedule an appointment, including a same day appointment, call:

Mount Vernon
360-814-6800                                                                                    

Arlington
360-435-6525