Summer Safety Tips: Firework and Bug safety

We hope you are having a fun and SAFE summer. During the next few weeks we will be giving you tips from the AAP about Summer Safety. This week we are going to focus on Firework and Bug safety. We hope you have a SAFE and fun summer!

Fireworks Safety

• Fireworks can result in severe burns, scars and disfigurement that can last a lifetime.
• Fireworks that are often thought to be safe, such as sparklers, can reach temperatures above 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, and can burn users and bystanders.
• Families should attend community fireworks displays run by professionals rather than using fireworks at home.
• The AAP recommends prohibiting public sale of all fireworks, including those by mail or the Internet.

For more information from the AAP on fireworks safety, click here.

Bug Safety

• Don’t use scented soaps, perfumes or hair sprays 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 dressing your child in clothing with bright colors or flowery prints.
• To remove a visible stinger from skin, gently back it out by scraping it off horizontally with a credit card or your fingernail.
• Combination sunscreen/insect repellent products should be avoided because sunscreen needs to be reapplied every two hours, but the insect repellent should not be reapplied.
• Use insect repellents containing DEET when needed to prevent insect-related diseases. Ticks can transmit Lyme Disease, and mosquitoes can transmit West Nile Virus and other viruses.
• The current AAP and CDC recommendation for children older than 2 months of age is to use 10% to 30% DEET. DEET should not be used on children younger than 2 months of age.
• The effectiveness is similar for 10% to 30% DEET but the duration of effect varies. Ten percent DEET provides protection for about 2 hours, and 30% protects for about 5 hours. Choose the lowest concentration that will provide the required length of coverage.
• The concentration of DEET varies significantly from product to product, so read the label of any product you purchase. Children should wash off repellents when they return indoors.
• As an alternative to DEET, Picaridin has become available in the U.S. in concentrations of 5% to10%.

For more information on DEET, click here.

*Info from AAP and healthychildren.org