Does your family dream of amusement park rides every summer? This time of year the amusement park ads are in full bloom getting everyone itching to get to their local parks.

There is no doubt that amusement parks can be a great family outing and offer something for everyone – even non-ride people. At the same time, while it’s easy to assume that a clean-looking, well-run park is “safe”, statistics suggest otherwise. Safekids.org recently reported 6500 emergency room visits in 2001 for amusement park injuries in the United States – and the majority of those actually avoidable and due to families and attendants bending the posted rules. Equipment problems do occur but result in a small amount of injuries overall.

And, the sun, large-layout and crowds at these parks add their own elements to family fun and safety. So, before you start your next amusement park adventure, consider a few simple safety ideas first:

1. Plan ahead and pay particular attention to health, age and height restrictions and remember they work both ways – kids should not go on rides they are too small for, or have outgrown!
2. Read the rules and make sure everyone follows them.
3. Keep all body parts in the ride at all times and tie back long hair as both can easily get caught in gears.
4. Always use provided safety equipment (bars and belts) and handrails.
5. Don’t unload until the ride stops and you are told to get out.
6. Don’t ride anything if you are feeling tired or ill.
7. Don’t ride anything that looks broken or unsteady – or a ride with an operator who makes you uncomfortable or seems under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
8. Makes sure everyone drinks often and has time out of the sun throughout the day.
9. Make sure you have a rendezvous plan and consider using walkie-talkies if you will all be separated during the day.
10. Don’t try and see it all in one day – go for quality, not quantity!

Keep in mind that what looks fun to you may very well be scary to your child regardless of age. Think about costumed characters for a moment. A person wearing a costume to you is really that character to a small child – and magnified a billion times from TV. So, don’t push those picture moments if your child is fearful – let your child dictate how close she wants to get to that large cuddly critter.

It’s equally important to be realistic about your child and your expectations about choosing a ride. The last time I was at Magic Kingdom, I remember hearing a dad loudly berate a teenager for being a “wimp” because she refused to ride Splash Mountain while her 7 year old brother was happy to go on. I have to admit – I’m not a big fan of those rides either! To each his own with this stuff – we all define fun differently and these rides are just not for everyone.

So, go with the flow, have a blast, follow a few simple safety ideas and you’re next amusement park adventure is sure to be a huge success for all of you – and injury free!

Sea sickness is really motion sickness on the water. Many people, young and old, are very sensitive to changes in motion.  Depending on how fast our body adjusts to the motion, we may have few symptoms or feel quick sick.

Our Internal Balance Beam

Our body has built in motion sensors that work together to keep us balanced.  Actually, sensor is a misnomer – it is more like a relay system involving our eyes and inner ears that report to our brain. Anything that interrupts this interplay, causes us to feel off kilter. For example, if our eyes can’t see what is happening and our inner ears sense motion, our body begins to feel off balance and senses the motion. Similarly, if our eyes see motion that our body can not feel such as on an amusement park ride or in a car, we similarly feel funny. When we feel the motion and our body can’t correct for it, motion sickness sets in. It can occur at any age and to any of us but kids are more prone, particularly between the ages of 2-12.

While all of us can get motions sickness, some people have a history that may help you predict it will happen with more certainty. Kids who get car sick or sick on amusement park rides, are likely to get sea sick. Kids who get queasy easily and vomit easily are also more likely to get sea sick. Having a child with these historical features does not mean they will experience sea sickness but it does mean they are more at risk than kids who don’t experience motion sickness.

What are the symptoms? Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, feeling sweaty. At the first sign of queasiness, that is the time to pay attention to the symptoms. For young kids, they may seem not hungry or fussy.

There are many ways to help. First, be prepared – it can happen to any one in your family. Keep in mind that if you are on a cruise, the ocean is very large and we are not accustomed to the movement at all. Our bodies will adjust in a day or two but in the meantime, there are many ways you can help your family feel better and adults quicker.

Before you go, explore with your pediatrician medications to consider having on hand. Dramamine is the gold standard for motion sickness and it does work well. It is very sedating but will help curtail the symptoms and is safe for all ages.

Pressure bands that can be worn on the wrist help, too. Sea-Bands are over the counter and widely available. They help considerably with nausea and vomiting from motion. The band is designed around the concept of acupressure – the same theory behind acupuncture.  The bands put pressure on the Nei Kuan acupuncture point and are safe to use in kids 2 and older. We’ve used these on cruises with our kids both for short excursions and overnights and they do work.

Finally, for older kids and adults, the scopolamine patch can help you acclimate. It is a patch that is placed behind the ear 3 days before your trip and taken off a couple days later. However, do not over use it or you will find your self with some funky symptoms due to too much scopolamine such as double vision. If that occurs, remove the patch immediately.

On the first few days of travel, eat relatively light and frequently. Motion sickness tends to get worse when you are really hungry or have had a very large meal.

Finally, if your child’s symptoms are worsening while on the boat, call the ship’s doctor. There are other medications that can be used acutely but need to administered with a doctor’s supervision.

If you are traveling with a very small child, under the age of 2, consult a physician before using any medications including antihistamines. Small children are very sensitive to the dosages of these medications and can easily become toxic if given too much. The most prudent path would be to discuss with your physician before the trip what to do if symptoms occur such as vomiting, and to consult the ship’s physician early if the symptoms do not abate quickly.

It could easily be the start of a new Dr. Seuss book: “Your health…here, there and everywhere!”

You could read that one line so many ways:

Your health happens here, there and everywhere.
Your health involves places here, there and everwhere.
Do you know the details of your health – here, there and everywhere?
You need to be healthy here, there and everywhere.

You get the idea! Your health is part of you and travels about with you where ever you go. Even though it doesn’t always make itself visible, it makes its presence known by how you feel. When your health is good, you feel good. When your health is so-so, your not at your best.

We need to dress our health for the day just like we do our body for the weather. Unlike bodies the require clothes, our health status requires information, and sometimes even medication.

This month, let’s tune into those special areas a health status needs to, well, be healthy!

1.Your Health: Nuts, Bolts & Bandaids

This week, take a moment and ask yourself a few simple questions:

1. When did we all have checkups?
2. Is each member of my family up to date on our necessary immunizations?
3. Do I know vital information for each family member such as current weight, height, medication list (drug name and dose)?
4. Can I rattle off the past medical history of my immediate family?
5. Do you know the numbers of your family doctor, dentist, orthodontist?
6. Do you know the names and doses of all medications your family members take? These can be hard to keep tabs of so write them down and include over the counter medications such as vitamins, pain relievers, allergy medications, rash treatments – and anything else someone in your home uses regularly.

This is the week you are going to organize all of these nuts and bolts – write them all down. If you want to get really fancy, computerize them! You can use a simple word document, Excel spread sheet or online health record through your insurance company, doctor’s office or Google Health or Microsoft’s Health Vault.

One of the advantages of using an online personal health record is you can access it 24/7 anywhere in the world. But, I’d suggest if you are traveling you bring a printed copy to have in a pinch of the essential snapshot of everyone’s health.

2. Health To Go (aka Travel Health)

Whether you are traveling to the corner store or on vacation, your health goes with you. Do you know the details? The further you travel from home, the more important it is to have those details at the tip of your tongue! Online health records are perfect for this purpose – see #1 above!

3. OnLine Health

When putting together your online health record, be sure to include a full snapshot of everyone’s vital data and dates for:

1. current health problems: names of conditions and medications (with doses)
2. past health issues and surgeries
3. Allergies to medications
4. current weight and height
5. last tetanus shot for all family members (full immunization records are best but tetanus is important to know when traveling in case of injury or cut)
6. all the answers to questions in #1 with important doctor phone numbers
7. in case of emergency contact number

4. In Case of Emergency

The last thing you need is for an emergency to occur and to discover that the person you thought was ‘reliable’ actually isn’t. Before you write down a name, talk to that person and be sure that person is up for being your emergency contact for you, your spouse and your kids.

It started with such promise: unroll on flat ground, put in water, and Voila! instant backyard pool with hours of endless lounging and splashing fun. That was last summer’s dream. The reality was quite different. The pool never quite held its water, the pool top kept flying off and the ladder barely fit over the pool’s sides. “Lasted long it did not”, Yoda would say of our pool.

True backyard pools and whirlpool spas now have competition with these smaller, “temporary” pools as well as a variety of other backyard water toys: super soakers, sprinklers of all shapes and sizes, and slip n’ slides. And why not? Summer adventures at home are often the best kind to have. But buyers beware! Most of these toys are great fun but are not only expensive but dangerous. Injuries from these recreational toys span the spectrum from minor cuts and bruises to significant broken arms, necks and concussions.

According to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports, 250 deaths occur each year in children under 5 in swimming pools and more then 2000 children are treated each year in emergency rooms for near-drowning accidents including entrapment injuries from suction drains in residential pools and spas.

But pools are not the only source of injuries in backyards. One of the most dangerous backyard water toys to adults and teenagers are the backyard waterslides such as WHAM-O’s slip ‘n slide. These slides are intended for children and the weight and height of teenagers and adults has produced serious injury to the neck and spinal cord. This highlights not only the danger of some of these seemingly innocent toys but the need to read the cautions on the boxes carefully and be sure all children follow the safety instructions.

Here are some safety suggestions to help keep your family safe while enjoying some much needed water fun this summer:

1. Direct adult supervision is needed for everything involving water. We are our children’s first line of defense!
2. Swim lessons are one of the best ways to not only teach children basic water safety but help them avoid dangerous situations.
3. Even good swimmers can drown – never allow children to swim alone, even in small, “wadding” pools. A buddy system is a great line of defense for older children and teenagers.
4. If a child is missing, check the pool or spa first.
5. Safety equipment and a phone should be in arms reach for pools of any size and whirlpool spas.
6. Consider a pool alarm that sounds in the house to alert you if your pool or whirlpool is entered when no adult is outside.
7. All pools need a barrier – a fence for large pools and a tarp for small pools. For all above ground pools, remove the ladder when not in use to make access to the pool more difficult.
8. Make sure electric filters and pumps are turned off when children are swimming and near the pool or whirlpool to avoid electrocution.
9. Consider CPR training if you have a pool or are planning to get one. Most communities offer the course for a nominal fee or free of charge.
10. Know your child’s swimming ability and have the proper US Coast Guard Approved flotation devices for your youngest swimmers but remember that these flotation devices do not help your child swim so children can still drown while using these devices if they do not know how to swim and an adult is not near by.
11. Sprinkles are great fun and a wonderful way to stay cool but do produce a very slick ground putting children at risk for slipping and injuring themselves. Make sure the ground around the sprinkler is as free as possible for obvious rocks and twigs. Wearing boat shoes will also help create better traction and protect your child’s feet from injury.
12. If you decide to set up a backyard water slide, make sure everyone in the family is clear on how to properly use the slide. The location of these toys is paramount to safety – especially for avoiding head injury. Teenagers and adults should never use these slides – the risk of permanent spinal cord injury is just too great.

More information and safety tips on these topics and other summer recreational activities can be found at the CPSC Web site, www.cpsc.gov, the American Red Cross web site, www.redcross.org, and the American Academy of Pediatrics web site, www.aap.org. The CPSC web site also has the latest information on product recalls.

Here’s to many days of safe water fun for you and your family!

© 2005-2006 Pediatrics Now.
All rights reserved. PEDIATRICS NOW is a trademark of Pediatrics Now.

The lazy days of summer are quickly approaching. Before long, carpools and homework will be a distant memory and we will fill our days with all sorts of outdoor adventures. Unfortunately, the very features that make the summer so wonderful can also be very dangerous, especially for children. Luckily, a bit of planning and a tad of common sense can keep your family safe without interfering with even an ounce of fun.

Fun in the sun and fun in motion are what makes the summer so spectacular and dangerous at the same time. You may be surprised to learn that the heat and the sun do not necessarily go hand in hand. We can burn in the shade and get dehydrated on a cloudy day. It is possible to get too much sun without intense heat and it is also possible to experience hot temperatures without a lot of sun. And, when they occur together, there is double the trouble.

A child’s age dictates a great deal of what they can handle for heat and sun. Babies under 6 months of age should never be in direct sunlight – they burn too easily and sunscreens are not safe for children so young. Try to keep these tots covered in light clothing or shaded by an umbrella or stroller cover – and don’t forget the hat.

Small infants and children dehydrate quickly in the sun and heat so keep on hand some rehydration solutions or some good sports drinks. We all lose sugars and salts when we sweat and it’s important to replenish what we lose as we go to avoid a later problem. This is especially important in small children who tend to not want to drink when they feel very warm. Monitor small children for excessive sweating and sleepiness and encourage them to drink continuously.

For older kids, sunscreen SPF 15 or higher, hats with a brim, sunglasses and limiting sun exposure during the peak sun times (10am to 4pm) are the current recommendations of the American Academies of Pediatrics and Dermatology. Lube the entire body including feet, hands, noses, ears, back of the ears, lips. And, don’t forget to reapply sunscreen every 2 hours when playing sports or swimming. It’s also important to have your children rest and have some sun-free time complete with lots of fluids. Keep popsicles on hand as well as sports drinks and encourage your child to carry a water bottle filled with either ice water or a sports drink.

Sunburns are true burns of the skin and can be serious if large and blistered. The discomfort of simple sunburns can be relieved with cool baths, moisturizers with aloe, and hydrocortisone. Large blistering areas many require more elaborate medical management and you should consult your doctor if large areas of blistering occur.

Bodies can get overheated to very dangerous temperatures. Any sunburn with headache, chills, fever is a medical emergency and it’s important to call your doctor or take your child to the nearest emergency room. Other warning signs to seek help for include lethargy, not tearing, vomiting and not urinating. Also remember not to leave a child in a car on a summer’s day even for a few minutes – a car can quickly heat up like an oven to temperatures that can and do take lives each summer.

So, as you prepare for the summer heat, keep these items on hand:

1. rehydration solutions and/or sports drinks
2. sunblock SPF 15 or higher
3. hats
4. sunglasses
5. stroller coverings or umbrella
6. fans for your house or an air conditioning unit if possible
7. portable water bottles

In addition to the sun, the summer months provide us with endless opportunities for outdoor and most of the best loves recreational activities all involve either motion, water or both. Kids love things that move and most kids nowadays wear helmets and appropriate pads naturally. This is one area that you should never compromise with your children. Any child old enough to learn to ride a bike, rollerblades, scooter, or skateboard is old enough to understand what will happen if they hurt their heads without wearing a helmet. Keep it simple: no helmet, no ride.

Keep in mind that small children, younger than ages 5 or 6, simply do not have the coordination or strength to master the skills needed to ride anything other than a cozy coupe, tricycle, 3-wheeled scooter, bike with training wheels, or bigwheel safely. And, kids younger than 8 years of age should never be allowed to ride a scooter. These young kids may very well be able to tell you all the rules of the road by heart but not yet the experience or developmental maturity to remember to follow them.

Here’s to safe outdoor fun – all year long.

© 2005-2006 Pediatrics Now.
All rights reserved. PEDIATRICS NOW is a trademark of Pediatrics Now.

Traveling far from home is often a worth while trade off to experience some of the world’s most intriguing destinations. Yet the disruption from jet lag can put a snag in those early days of the trip. Understanding a bit about jet lag and why it occurs will help your family get on local time more easily and prevent it from shortchanging too much of your trip.

Our bodies have built in clocks that tell us what to do and when.  Those clocks are fueled by the ebb and flow of daylight. Jet lag occurs when our sleep/wake cycle is disrupted by experiencing a different time zone than we are accustomed to. It is really a transient sleep disorder that results from our internal clock resetting all our body systems.

It’s during the adjustment to the new time that we feel the symptoms of jet lag which often include tiredness, trouble sleeping, stool changes (constipation and diarrhea) headache, nausea, sweating, trouble thinking, dehydration, and jumpiness or irritability. What is interesting about jet lag is it impacts adults more than kids. The further you travel from home, the more jet lag you can expect.

The direction you travel determines the extent of jet lag you experience. Traveling north to south typically isn’t an issue because you are traveling within your customary time zone.  Traveling east causes the most jet lag because your clock is losing time. Traveling west you typically do better because your clock is gaining time.

The ultimate cure to jet lag is getting on local time which should start as soon as you get to your destination. Reset your watches. Play when locals play. Eat when locals eat. Sleep, or attempt to, when locals sleep.

Everyone’s clocks will eventually reset. According to Dr. Richard Ferber, one of the top pediatrician’s in the United States and author of the popular How To Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems,   “…there are no situations where (a body’s) rhythm won’t reset. It should only be hard if sleep and light are not properly controlled. You too won’t reset well if you nap too much when you go to Europe. And they should adjust to the new time zone faster than the parents.”

One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid is not paying attention to the direction of travel and when your kids sleep. So, when traveling east, better to try and keep the child up and get that initial bed time closer to local time than fall asleep too early and get up much earlier than local breakfast time. Similarly, when traveling west, your child may have trouble falling asleep that first night. Have books and a movie on hand but wake your child up at local time the next day regardless of what time your child actually falls asleep.

Finally, sleep aids may be tempting to use but really are not effective in children, nor are needed. And many have a paradoxical effect in kids so instead of becoming sleepy your child ends up more awake.

When in doubt, just keep your eye on the ultimate goal: getting everyone in your family on to local time and local schedule. As they say, when in Rome….

(Originally posted June 2007; Updated December 2009)