Summer Safety: Stay Safe While Having Fun

Swimming Safety for Children

According to the Florida Department of Children and Families, more children under the age of 5 die by drowning there than any other state in the nation. Sadly, many of these deaths can be prevented by following safety precautions. The department recommends:

Supervision. Always keep an eye on your children while they are swimming. Stay off your phone and do not get involved in a long conversation. Drowning can happen in just a few minutes. Designate a “water watcher” to keep an eye on children. Use touch supervision. This means staying within arm’s reach of children while in or near water.

Barriers. A child should always be accompanied by an adult when near a pool or open body of water. For home pools, Florida law requires barriers, including child-proof locks on doors, a pool fence with self-latching gates, alarms and professional pool covers fitted for the pool.

Swimming Lessons. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children ages 4 and older learn to swim. It also encourages caregivers of children ages 1 to 3 to consider swim instruction for their child. Call 211 or contact your local YMCA for swimming lessons near you.

Emergency Preparedness. When a child stops breathing, there is a small window of time when resuscitation may occur. CPR techniques are easy to learn and can mean the difference between life and death. Call 211 or visit the American Red Cross to find a CPR class near you.

Cover Up

• To help avoid problems like dehydration, sunburns and heatrelated illness, here are some tips from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• Wear a sunscreen that is SPF 30 or higher.
• The sun’s rays are most harmful between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Seek shade, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and cover up with lightweight clothing during this time.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and do not wait until you are thirsty to drink more.

Go Low Impact

Exercising outdoors when the sun is shining can be enticing, but when the heat is up, you should take precautions to avoid heat-related illness. Here are tips to keep in mind from the American Heart Association.

• Avoid exercising outside between noon and 3 p.m.
• Drink water before, during and after physical activity.
• Wear loose-fitting or moisturewicking clothes.
• Check with your healthcare provider prior to exercising outdoors. Certain medications can exaggerate the body’s response to heat.
• Work out with a buddy for safety and fun!

ER at Fruitville and the Emergency Services Department at Lakewood Ranch Medical Center are here for your entire family 24/7.

ER at Fruitville Road is located at 6760 Fruitville Road, Sarasota, FL 34240

Lakewood Ranch Medical Center is located at 8330 Lakewood Ranch Blvd, LWR, FL 34202

With limited exceptions, physicians are not employees or agents of LWRMC. ER at Fruitville is part of LWRMC. This is not an urgent care center. Its services and care are billed at hospital emergency department rates. For language assistance, disability accommodations and the non-discrimination notice, visit our website.