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Summer Safety

Summer is right around the corner and every parent is always trying to do their best to keep their kids safe while they're enjoying their summer vacation. Dr. Cheryl de Silva discusses ways to keep your kids safe and healthy in the sun this summer.

Summer Safety
Featuring:
Cheryl de Silva, MD

Cheryl De Silva, MD practices Pediatrics at Skagit Regional Health. She received her MD from Ross Univ School of Medicine and is Board Certified by the AM Board of Pediatricss. Dr. De Silva sees patients at Skagit Regional Clinics - Riverbend. Patients can make an appointment by contacting the clinic directly, or by requesting an appointment through the MyChart patient portal. 

Learn more about Cheryl De Silva, MD 

Transcription:

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be used as personalized medical advice.


Deborah Howell (Host): Well, summer's right around the corner. And every parent is always trying to do their best to keep their kids safe while they're enjoying their summer vacation. I'm joined today by Dr. Cheryl de Silva, a pediatrician with Skagit Regional Health. And she's here today to talk with us about summer safety. This is Be Well, the podcast from Skagit Regional Health. I'm Deborah Howell. Dr. de Silva, what a pleasure to have you on with us today.  


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Thank you so much. I'm so glad to be here. 


Deborah Howell (Host): And, you know, you can almost smell the chlorine, right? So what are some tips to keep our kids sun-safe this summer? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Well, that's a great question. And it's one of the questions that come up the most when we talk about summer safety with our parents. I think one of the questions that people often ask about and we talk about is the application of sunscreen, and that's one of the biggest tips that we can give to our parents. When it comes to sunscreen, one of the questions that come up is what should we use, when should we use it and how? And one of the things that I would say is that we want to keep reapplying, we want to use it as often as possible, and we should start even as young as six months old. 


So for our young kids under six months, one thing that we can do is make sure that they're dressed appropriately, wearing long-sleeved clothing. And even for older kids. Wearing a hat with a large brim to protect us from the sun. And then when it comes to what else we can do is looking at the type of sunscreen that we're using. So with that, we say, "What type of SPF do we want to use?" And the minimum that we want to have there is an SPF of 30 or more. And for reapplication, I would suggest doing that every two hours. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Can I ask you something about sunscreen? They say after 50, it doesn't really matter. Fifty is the same as 60 or 70 or 150. What would you say? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: I would agree. To a certain level, there's only so much UV protection that we can have on our bodies. The minimum is more important than the maximum and that's where I would focus. And that being said, there are different times of the day when we're more prone to UV exposure as well. So, we want to make sure that we're staying out of the sun during the sunniest parts of the day, if possible. Although often those are the times that we want to be outside. So, you know, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. We don't want to be out there when it's too dark. But if we are enjoying the sun, we want to keep it nice and safe. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Great. Now, as kids spend more time in and around water this summer, what are ways that parents can encourage water safety? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: That's a great question. I think one thing when it comes to water safety is that we should actually look at starting that before we plan on being around the water. So what we mean by that is, learning how to swim. It's something we can do year-round if we have access to a rec center or a community center with a pool, and we should sign our children up for those swimming lessons. Even adults, parents that may not know how to swim, that's a good thing to know in order to keep your children safe as well. Make sure that you're comfortable in the water so that they feel comfortable in the water. 


When it comes to lakes, oceans, when we're talking about open bodies of water, there are other ways that we can stay safe, for example, wearing a life vest to keep ourselves safe in case of an accident. And then of course. We think about our young kids that may be too young to learn how to swim, or maybe they're not quite there, they're in the process of learning how to swim, using those floaties as well. So we can have arm floaties, rafts, things for them to hold on to feel a little bit more comfortable. And then just talking about different ways that we know about safety around a pool. So, knowing where the lifeguard is, knowing who to go to for help, for example.


Deborah Howell (Host): No running. 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Again, no running by the pool. We see that sign all the time. 


Deborah Howell (Host): That's for sure. Now, switching gears just a little bit. The Pacific Northwest is an incredible source for fresh fruits and veggies in the summer. What are some ways to encourage kids to eat healthy this summer? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: You're absolutely right. We're so lucky being in the Pacific Northwest to have access to organic fruits and vegetables. But even if we don't, that's such an important everyday idea to encourage our kids to have fruits and vegetables in their day-to-day diet. With kids, it sometimes comes down to entertainment and also getting them involved. So I think using both of those things to our advantage, we can find ways to encourage them to want to eat vegetables, want to eat fruits. 


One thing that we can do, for example, is have them choose a color for the day. So for example, Monday could be orange, Tuesday could be red and finding different fruits and vegetables that kind of fit that theme. And the other thing that we can do is get them involved like we said. So that could just simply mean having them in the kitchen, helping with peeling or setting the table or getting things together. But it could also mean something fun, like going outside and setting up a vegetable garden, watching them grow and understanding a little bit more about the fruits and vegetables and having them help pick the vegetables and the fruits, and that might be something that we can even do at a local farmer's market, for example. 


And then, of course, some of the things that we can always do with our kids is make it fun to look at. So different shapes with different colors can be used to make different characters. And when it's appealing to look at, it's often fun to eat as well and that's what we want. We want to make fruits fun for everybody. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Lots of little fruit and veggie animals. 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Yeah. 


Deborah Howell (Host): And you know what? If all else fails, smoothies, right? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Yes, exactly. Blend them in. Don't let them be seen. That can be a trick as well. 


Deborah Howell (Host): So, are there any other tips you can share with parents to ensure their kids remain safe all summer long? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: One of the things that I would probably want to emphasize to our parents is that when it comes to summer safety, oftentimes we encourage these big outdoor trips that may include events or local gatherings or festivities or fairs where there's a lot of people. And knowing that we're going to be planning these trips, it can be important to, in advance, talk to your kids about what to do in case of an emergency. That could be something as simple as teaching them about 911. Also, when we go to certain locations, for example, if we're at the zoo or if we're at a theme park, finding a location that you designate as a safe space that you think is somewhere easy that they could find or ask somebody how to get to, and knowing that that would be a location to meet, something as simple as that. 


And also, age-appropriate information for them to know. Are they old enough to memorize their phone number, know the name of their parent’s full names? And then, a trick that we've seen a lot of parents do that I find so interesting and cute is just writing their phone number in the tongues of their shoe. So that if by chance they are lost, and they go to a safe person or they end up with the safety of an adult or a police officer, they can say, "This is my mom's phone number or my dad's phone number for you to call." 


Deborah Howell (Host): That is perfect. I hadn't heard that one. That's wonderful. And it certainly beats the kid having to wear a dog tag or something like that. 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Yes, definitely. I don't think we're quite there yet. 


Deborah Howell (Host): No, thank God. We're not. Okay. That's wonderful. And always, you know, what about the first aid kit situation in the car? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: That's a wonderful idea to have, and not just that at the car, at home as well. Having our go-to first aid kit is very important and it might be something that you want to speak to your pediatrician about. But the basics, so things to have in case of a small injury for cuts, such as Band-Aids and small antibiotic. And then of course, those things like allergies or, if we're outside in the summer sun and we know we might be next to something like poison ivy or something that might make us itch, having that Benadryl or something to help with the itch or the medication that would help with that will be something that would be quite useful and may even prevent yourself from going to the emergency room or urgent care. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Speaking of urgent care, everybody should know the closest ones, where they are, where the school is, that are in proximity so that they know exactly where to go if 911 is not an option for you or if you'd just rather just get in the car and take your kids somewhere quickly. 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Definitely. I think it's important to know what the capabilities are for you at your home. Oftentimes it may even be safe just to give 911 a call and they may direct you in another direction. It may be an emergency for you in that situation, but they'll be able to talk you through and then guide you to the most important location for you and your family. But it's always better to be safe than sorry. And you're absolutely right, knowing your community, knowing your neighborhood. And if you're not familiar, you're new to an area, popping into your local police department or your local fire department, all of that will keep you nice and safe. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Love it. Is there anything else you'd like to add to our conversation today? 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: I would just say, as we talk about safety in general, summer safety, and a lot of these questions for our children, the best thing we can do is start a conversation with your pediatrician or your primary care provider. I think opening up the dialogue, finding specific questions that you may want answers to is all going to lead to more conversation about safety and keep your whole family safe through the summer and all the seasons ahead. 


Deborah Howell (Host): Well, Dr. de Silva, thank you so much for being with us today. So informative. I'm sure our listeners appreciate all the good tips for keeping our kids safe this summer. What a pleasure to have you. 


Dr. Cheryl de Silva: Thanks so much. I appreciate it. 


Deborah Howell (Host): For more information, you can visit SkagitRegionalHealth.org. Thanks for listening to Be Well, the podcast from Skagit Regional Health.


 If you enjoyed this podcast, please be sure to tell a friend and subscribe rate and review this podcast on your favorite podcast app. I'm Deborah Howell. Thanks for listening and have yourself a terrific day.