Summer is officially here, and for many families that means an action-packed outdoor schedule. No fun comes without risk, however.
Summer is known as “trauma season” due to the seasonal increase in injuries: from manning the family barbecue to battling the surf, and everything in between.
Here are the four most common summer ailments, along with ways to avoid them and to keep you and your family safe:
It’s easy to get caught up in an intense game of basketball or touch football, but staying hydrated is essential under the blazing rays of the sun. Dehydration can lead to exhaustion, muscle cramps, delirium, or even a heat stroke – a potentially fatal condition that kills about 1500 Americans every year.
Safety Tips
Keep a bottle of fluids at your side when engaging in any physical activity, especially on hot days, and drink 2-4 glasses every hour that you’re active. If you or one of your kids is participating in any strenuous activity, opt for a sports drink that contains electrolytes and some carbohydrates. This will maintain key salt and mineral levels in your blood and allow for a healthy blood flow.
Spending time outdoors is the essence of summer, but don’t let UV radiation get the best of you! Too much sun can not only burn you, it can accelerate wrinkling and other signs of aging, cause skin cancers like melanomas, and even cause acute flu-like illnesses.
Related Blog: The Importance of Summer Skin Safety
Safety Tips
Make sure to invest in sunscreen rated at SPF 15 or higher, with both UVA and UVB protection – reapply it every 2 hours and as soon as you swim or sweat. Many people make the mistake of leaving the tips of their ears and necks exposed, leaving painful burns so remember to cover any exposed skin and reapply sunblock frequently. UV exposure also affects your eyes; keep them covered with sunglasses, which in the United States offer protection from UVA and UVB rays regardless of cost.
And don’t be afraid to seek shade, or limit your time under the sun during the peak hours from 10-4 PM.
In the modern era of the Zika and West Nile viruses, be mindful of mosquito bites that can potentially spread them.
Safety Tips
Mosquitos tend to prey at dawn and dusk and around bodies of stagnant, untreated water, so think twice about long walks by the lake as the sun goes down, and empty out anything around your home that could collect rain or sprinkler water and allow mosquitoes to breed (like flowerpots, buckets, and birdbaths).
Protect your skin by wearing long sleeves, socks, and pants, and use a proven insect repellent, like DEET or Picaridin (when older than 2 months of age).
Drowning is a leading injury related death for children: three children die each day from it. Ensure your family is educated about water safety to keep them out of harm’s way.
Safety Tips
Make sure there is constant adult supervision whenever kids are in the water. Per the CDC, “Because drowning happens quickly and quietly, adults watching kids in or near water should avoid distracting activities like playing cards, reading books, talking on the phone, and using alcohol or drugs.”
Keep kids from running through any slippery areas around the water and don’t let them dive in shallow water.
Make sure that they know how to swim, and that you learn how to perform CPR.
Amidst the summer frenzy, you and your children can get basic check-ups and sports physicals at your local primary care centers in Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Fountain Valley. If you encounter any type of injury, feel free to stop by the Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, or Woodbridge Walk-In Urgent Care Centers. You can easily schedule an appointment online at any of our Urgent Care Centers to avoid wait times.
Dr. Bunten is originally from Huntington Beach, CA. He attended high school in Tokyo, Japan, went to college at UC San Diego and then to medical school in the Midwest. He returned home to California for residency training in Family Medicine at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. His immediate family all reside in Huntington Beach.
Dr Fishbein has been in the practice of family medicine for over 35 years in Irvine. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University, medical degree from Chicago Medical School, and completed his family medicine residency at Memorial Hospital of Long Beach.
Dr. Kim is the Medical Director of Family Care Centers, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Hoag Hospital, and a recipient of the Physicians of Excellence award from the Orange County Medical Association. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine, and has been practicing in our community for over 20 years.
Dr. Memon is a board certified Family Medicine physician and recently completed her fellowship in Geriatrics at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. She attended Saint George’s University, School of Medicine and completed her residency at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Her interest in medicine started at an early age and has since evolved into a passionate career.
Dr. Gina Nguyen obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Irvine where she graduated Suma Cum Laude. She went to USC Keck School of Medicine, and returned to UC Irvine for a Family Medicine Residency. Since 2005, she worked at Kaiser Permanente, VNCOC, and Family Care Center Urgent Care.
Dr. Williams is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. He is a native to Orange County and returned home after completing his medical degree at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. After completing his residency in family practice he successfully completed a fellowship in sports medicine.
Dr. Hye Lee is a board-certified Family Practice Physician, affiliated with the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Family Practice.She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Riverside and earned her medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. Afterward, she did her internship at Downey Regional Medical Center in California and has been a primary care physician since 2005.
Dr. Coyne is a board certified family practice physician and a California native. He completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA before earning his medical degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr Coyne spent 6 years in the US Air Force at Andrews and Luke Air Force bases, eventually separating as a Major. He enjoys working with patients of all ages.”
Dr. Jay Friehling is a Family Practice physician who has worked in Orange County since 1981. Born in Florida, he received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and then earned a Medical Degree at the New York Medical College.” His healthcare interests include Diabetes, Geriatric Care, and Hospice Care.
Dr. Jennifer Shoquist is board certified in Family Medicine. Her special interest is woman’s health and her practice accepts patients from 6 years old to seniors. Dr. Shoquist received her M.D. degree at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston in Houston, Texas, and did her residency with Memorial Family Practice at memorial Southwest Hospital in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Tom is a board certified family medicine physician and native Californian. He received his bachelors of science with great distinction in biochemistry and honors in chemistry. Dr. Tom was awarded a Regents Scholarship to attend medical school at UC Irvine.
Dr. Yan attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her Family Practice residency at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California. She joined Family Care Center in 2001. She chose Family Practice because she enjoys working with a wide variety of people and because it provides a unique opportunity for continuing care.
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