Today marks the first official day of summer. The next few months can be a fun, but dangerous time for kids. Lisa Roth of the Iowa Safe Kids Coalition says, "Summer months tend to bring more injuries and visits to the E-R, simply because I think kids are supervised less." She’s encouraging parents not to take a "vacation from safety" and be aware of what their children are doing.
Roth says one of the biggest dangers is the sun and encourages kids to wear sunblock with a high level of SPF. She reccommends a lotion with 30 to 45 SPF. Roth says the sunblock should be reapplied throughout the day, especially at the swimming pool. When kids are riding a bike, Roth says they should be wearing a helmet and shoes, and avoid wearing flip-flops, which can easily get caught in the chain or spokes.