Top Five Reasons to Visit Your Pediatrician This Summer

By Danny Cartwright, MD

Sunburn

Summer brings longer days, more time outside and more sun exposure which means increased risk of melanoma, or skin cancer, which is caused by sunburns. Studies show that repeated exposure to the sun’s rays during early childhood and adolescence is a major contributor to developing skin cancer later in life. Here are a few ways to avoid sunburns:

• Keep infants under six months of age completely out of the sun.
• Apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher twenty minutes before leaving the house. Don’t neglect the lips, feet and ears.
• Reapply sunscreen every 2 hours or after swimming or sweating.
• Do not be fooled by cloudy days. 80% of the sun’s rays shine through clouds.
• Dress your child in loose lightweight clothes, brimmed hats and child-sized sunglasses with UV protection.

Insect Bites/Impetigo

Summer also means more biting insects. Any insect that bites can break the skin, and bacteria may enter causing a skin infection called impetigo. Many times this infection can be treated by cleaning the skin with soap and water and then putting on topical triple antibiotic cream. Sometimes they may need oral antibiotics. Here are some insect safety tips:

• Don’t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair spray on your child.
• Avoid areas where insects nest or congregate, such as stagnant pools of water, uncovered foods and gardens where flowers are in bloom.
• Avoid combination sunscreen/insect repellant products because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2 hours but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.
• Insect repellents containing DEET are most effective. Children over 2 months of age should use 30% DEET.

Injuries/Broken Bones

Many injuries may occur while riding a bike, skateboard, scooter, or while playing on a trampoline. Summer is great for being outside and having fun while exercising at the same time. Here are a few safety tips to avoid some of the injuries of summer:

• Your child needs to wear a helmet on every bike ride. Many accidents happen in driveways, on sidewalks, or bike paths, not just on streets.
• Helmets should also be worn while skateboarding and riding a scooter. Children should never ride skateboards or scooter in or near traffic.
• Never have more than one person on a trampoline at a time.

Lacerations

Cuts to the skin happen each summer. Children who have had tetanus boosters at age 4 – 5 years do not need another booster after a cut or puncture wound for 5 years after the last booster. Cuts that are gapping and continue to bleed may need stitches. Clean the wound and cover the wound as soon as possible. Call your child’s doctor for further instruction.

Swimmer’s Ear

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal usually caused by bacterium in the thin layer of the skin lining the canal. Pain when the outer ear is touched may indicate an infection. The more you swim, the more likely you may have a swimmer’s ear infection. Here are some tips to avoid swimmer’s ear:
Keep your ears dry. Dry only your outer ear slowly and gently with a soft towel. Tip your head to the side to help water drain.

If you know you don’t have a punctured ear drum, you can use a homemade preventive eardrop before and after swimming. A mixture of 1 part white vinegar and 1 part rubbing alcohol may help prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi that can cause swimmer’s ear. Pour 1 teaspoon of the solution into each ear and let it drain back out.

Avoid swimming in dirty water.

Dr. Danny Cartwright is a pediatrician with Cornerstone Pediatrics in Madison, Alabama. He has been practicing in Madison for 18 years. Cornerstone Pediatrics is a 6 physician practice specializing in pediatric and adolescent medicine. Our office is currently accepting new patients. Our goal at Cornerstone Pediatrics is to help our patients establish a foundation for a healthy lifetime. We believe that this (healthy) foundation consists of not only physical, but also mental and spiritual aspects. Therefore, our desire is to serve our patients and their families in all three of these areas. We believe we can best accomplish this by providing continuous care from birth to young adulthood, with an emphasis on preventative care.