8 Tips & Tricks to Prevent a Summer Accident

An accident can happen in the blink of an eye, especially if you have young children. As soon as summer arrives, children are at a higher risk of (minor) accidents. Consider wasp stings, tick bites, overheating, sunburn, and burns from the barbecue. Fortunately, as a parent, you can significantly mitigate many of these risks. How? We are happy to explain. Here are 8 tips to get through this summer unscathed.

Tip 1: Cooling off in the pool or at the beach? Use a life jacket and agree on who will watch the children.
Did you know that every year 700 children go missing on the beach, and this number continues to rise? One of the main reasons is that parents are distracted, for example, by their phones. Losing sight of your child for a minute can already be life-threatening. Children can drown in as little as 2 centimeters of water. It is also important to know that swim rings and arm floaties do not protect against drowning; only a life jacket is effective. It ensures that a child turns onto their back if they are at risk of drowning. In short: use a life jacket or life vest, make clear agreements on who will watch the children, and do not get distracted.

Tip 2: Lighting up the barbecue tonight? Warn the children about the danger.
Enjoying a barbecue as the end of a summer day is delightful, but be cautious with playing children. A child's skin is thinner than an adult's, making them more susceptible to burns at the same temperatures. Explain to your child(ren) why the barbecue is dangerous, agree that the kids should not come near the barbecue (for example, create a visible barrier with a row of chairs), and put away rolling toys like a football or frisbee during the barbecue.

Tip 3: Enjoy the sun, but don't forget to apply sunscreen to the children every 2 hours to prevent sunburn.
A child's skin is extra susceptible to the sun's UV rays. Therefore, it is important to protect the skin well if you're going to the beach for the day or enjoying the summer weather in the garden. What should you do? Apply sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 to your child – even under clothing – and do this every two hours. Don't forget the face, feet, and ears. Use a hat and sunglasses to protect the head and eyes from the sun and avoid the sun between 12:00 and 15:00, when it is strongest. Keep children younger than 1 year completely out of direct sunlight.

Tip 4: Unfortunately, wasps are also part of summer. Take measures to prevent a wasp sting.
While you're enjoying an ice cream, they are already buzzing around you. How can you prevent getting stung? The most important tip: stay calm. Wasps only sting when they feel threatened. So don't swat around and don't run away. In most cases, the wasp will leave on its own. Wasps are often attracted to sweet drinks or (leftover) food. Therefore, drink your lemonade through a straw and clean up food scraps immediately.

Tip 5: Never place a blanket over the stroller for cooling.
On a warm summer day, it might seem like a good idea to shield your baby from the sun's rays by placing a blanket or muslin cloth over the stroller. Don't do this. Protecting your child from the sun in this way can be life-threatening because the temperature under the blanket can rise quickly, leading to overheating. Stay in the shade or use a parasol for cooling.

Tip 6: Never leave your child alone in the car.
Quickly running into the supermarket while your child is in the car? Don't do it! Adults can handle the heat better than children: a child's body temperature rises three to five times faster than that of adults. Since the temperature in a car can rise significantly within minutes, a child can become overheated. According to scientific research, it takes only one hour for the temperature in a parked car to reach levels that are even deadly for a child. Therefore, never leave your child in the car.

Tip 7: Taking a walk through the dunes? Watch out for ticks.
Ticks – active in spring and summer – like to nest in tall grass, along verges, and in bushes. They can embed themselves in the skin, which can be dangerous. A tick bite can cause nasty diseases, such as Lyme disease. Want to prevent a tick bite? Stay on the paths, cover the skin, and wear tight-fitting clothing. For example, tuck your pants into your socks when walking through the woods and use insect repellent containing DEET. If you do get a tick bite, remove the tick as soon as possible.

Tip 8: Be prepared: take a first aid kit with you and take a first aid course.
Of course, it is impossible to protect your child from everything. Unfortunately, things can go wrong. First, make sure you always have afirst aid kit with essential items, such as a tick remover, sufficient (waterproof) band-aids, gauze, bandages, scissors, adhesive strips, and tweezers. Want to be sure you act correctly if your child is at risk of drowning or suffers a severe burn? Then take a first aid course. At EHBO Bureau, you can take a 3-hour first aid course and learn all the ins and outs of first aid for babies and children. You will not only learn what to do but also feel much more confident in emergency situations. Did you know that the costs of a first aid course are sometimes even reimbursed by your health insurer? In short, what are you waiting for?

Sign upherefor an EHBO Basics course before you go on vacation.

Sources: Red Cross, RIVM, Watch Out – Fieke Slee & Mariëlle Vehmeijer