Summer means kicking back and enjoying bright, sunny days with your kids – no worries are on the agenda, right? Unfortunately, summer ailments in children can appear suddenly and put a damper on any family’s fun.
Here are some of top summertime illnesses in kids, along with helpful prevention and treatment tips1:
Poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac
Try to keep your kids away from the sap of these plants, as allergic reactions like blisters, burning, itching, redness and swelling can occur. But if contact has occurred, wash the affected area with soap and water, flush your children’s eyes with water and change their clothes.
Swimmer’s ear
Splashing around can result in water log, so dry your child’s ears, avoid dirty water and don’t stick anything in their ear canals.
Sunburn
Make sure to reapply sunscreen regularly on your children, and keep them in the shade during peak sun hours (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Lyme disease
Be on the lookout for ticks! These sneaky bugs can cause a variety of symptoms if not removed from the skin, including fevers, chills, headache and fatigue.
Bug bites
If your child gets bitten, wash the area with soap and water, and apply topical cream to reduce itchiness and swelling.
Stomach virus
As the second most-common child illness, it’s important to keep your little one as clean as possible when they are out in public places, such as pools and parks.
The good news is most of these are treatable at home and clear up within a few days, which means you and the family can get back out and enjoy fun in the sun! But if you have questions or your child needs non-emergency medical help, contact Teladoc.
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