In summer, most families seek different destinations than everyday life, choosing the beach, field, mountain or forest to spend days in which sharing and resting is the best scenario, which is sometimes interrupted when a child suffers from a summer illness or it is accident.
Like superheroes, parents should identify the dangers to which their children may be exposed in the place where they vacation, keeping in mind that the increase in temperatures during the summer may favor diseases or discomfort caused mainly by prolonged exposure to UV rays.
"The heat causes children to spend long hours in the water of pools or the sea, this can cause external otitis, a disease that produces inflammation of the external auditory canal or auricle, the symptoms are progressive pain, pruritus, otorrhea, edema, sensation of covered ear and diminished auditory acuity, "says Gloria Rojas, chief pediatrician at Clínica Bupa Santiago.
Other diseases that children usually suffer in summer that the pediatrician recommends to prevent are:
Conjunctivitis: malaise that manifests with red eyes, eye discharge and pruritus.
Dehydration: occurs after a prolonged period of exposure to the sun, without sufficient water intake. In some cases, this condition is also caused by diarrhea, caused by viruses or bacteria.
Food poisoning: this type of poisoning is caused by food in poor condition, since they are not well chilled or lose the cold chain, when for example they are transported to remote areas.
Burns by sun, cause redness in the skin, pain sensation, heat to the touch, swelling and blisters with liquid content may appear. These symptoms usually appear in hours after the excess exposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays. This type of burns can produce more serious symptoms such as headache, fever, nausea and fatigue, and may cause syncope (loss of consciousness).
Insect bites: when wearing more unsheltered clothing and walking barefoot, children's skin is more exposed to insect bites, causing some infections or allergic reactions.
Respiratory diseases: are the least frequent, but in summer children can develop diseases of the respiratory system such as pharyngitis or bronchitis, which are usually viral.
Accidents, such as falls on skates, bicycles or asphyxiation by immersion are the most common.
Build your summer kit
Before assembling the suitcases, assembling the summer kit is a good idea, as well as "talking with the pediatrician before traveling, since it is who knows which are the most frequent pathologies in children, being able to indicate the doses per kilo of weight , in case of illness, "recommends Dr. Rojas. In a summer kit you can not miss:
1 antipyretic
Paracetamol
Ibuprofen or diclofenac.
Some antiallergic such as chlorphenamine.
Oral hydration salts to help prevent dehydration in gastroenteritis.
Tips for parents in summer
Take care of children from accidental falls to the water.
Have knowledge of basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation, since it is of great help for life-threatening situations.
Use sunscreens (F50) and repeat the application every 6 hours.
Avoid exposing children to the sun in the hottest hours (between 10:00 and 16:00 hours).
Ensures the hydration of children by offering non-sugar liquids.