Jun is right around the corner and you know what that means summer and with the sun shining and the temperatures Rising it's important to protect yourself from not just the sun rays but the heat and humidity as well today we're going to discuss ways to help keep you and your family safe and healthy during the summer months as well as answer any health related questions you may have next on ask the doc send in your questions to questions at allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the askthe do page on our website allhealth tv.com hi I'm I'm nurse Katie and today we're going to talk about having fun in the Summer sun and being careful two things that don't have to be mutually exclusive let's kick things off with a YouTube question from Colleen hi nurse Katie warmer weather means it's pool season I'd love some pool safety information if you don't mind Colleen that's a fantastic question keeping a close eye on kids around the pool is super important whether it's INR or above ground pool with above ground pools being taller it's tough to keep an eye on what's Happening inside the pool so constant supervision is key unfortunately I have seen several cases ER with children drowning in above ground pools because there is no view visual aside from watching over the little ones it's essential to teach them not to run around the pool kids love to goof around run on the deck but it can get slippery and that's when accidents happen and hey it let's remind the kiddos it's always good to good to go in the pool feet first most pools aren't deep enough for diving anyway and we also need to talk about those pool toys like those pool noodles they're not meant to assist with floating it's easy to think they'll keep you safe but they're not buoyant so if the little ones can't swim make sure they have a co- Guard approved life jacket on hey it looks like we have another viewer question with uh related to the pool this one is from our website allhealth tv.com and this question is from Pablo hi nurse Katie I've heard that it's not necessarily a good idea to buy a swimsuit that my child loves it should be brightly colored is that true hi Pablo thank you for drawing attention to this very important topic that rarely gets discussed it's surprising but when choosing swimsuits for your children the color is very important and it's even more important than the style design or their favorite cartoon icons because droning is the leading cause of death for children age 1 to four years old and the second leading cause of injury or death for children age five to 9 years old the color and the visibility of your children's swimsuits underwater could potentially save their lives Johny happens quickly and silently unlike what is often portrayed in the movies children Don't splash around and yell for help instead they might just bob up and down slowly on the surface struggling to get air some swimsuit colors can blend in with leaves or debris underwater making it challenging to spot a struggling child other colors can virtually disappear in the water so you don't see the child at all fortunately drowning is also the most preventable childhood injury before purchasing swimsuits for your kids it's essential to consider the visibility of the colors in the water boy oh boy our viewers really want to get their swim on Saul just reached out to us via YouTube with his question Saul asks nurse Katie I know you kind of addressed this already but any chance you have more water safety rules you can share with us Saul you came to the right place and have I got additional rules for you if you're in a pool without a lifeguard it's smart to know how to get help in emergency whether it's having your cell phone handy or knowing where the emergency phone is pool safety matters for everyone not just for kit here are some more important tips to help keep you safe this summer always have a buddy when you swim never go alone follow all the rules and signs posted around the pool stick to swimming in areas where there is a lifeguard if you're not a strong swimmer it's always a good idea to wear a life jacket near the water watch out for feeling too tired too cold too far from safety too much sun or too much strenuous activity set some safety rules for your family based on how well everyone can swim like staying in the water that's less than chest deep if you're not a strong swimmer know your surroundings and any potential dangers in the water like deep and shallow spots currents any wildlife and where you can get in and out on your own learn how to stop spot and handle emergencies and remember it's best to avoid alcohol if you're going to be swimming diving or boating it messes with your judgment and makes it harder to stay safe in the water how' I do so in case you missed it the first time here's another opportunity to find out where to send in your questions send in your questions to questions allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the askthe do page on our website allhealth tv.com okay this is getting crazy I know summer is almost here but four questions in a row about swimming or being in the water wow Molly's question comes to us from Facebook she asks what should I do if I see someone who looks like they're drowning Molly I'm glad you asked that question always remember that your own safety is top priority if you cannot safely help the person out of the water get help from a trained responder such as a lifeguard or call 911 or the local emergency number and wait for help stay on the phone with the dispatcher until they tell you it's okay to hang up here are things you should do if someone is drowning call 911 move the person to dry land but remember like I said before only if you can remain safe check for breathing if the person is not breathing check for a pulse if there is no pulse start CPR repeat if the person is still not breathing I'm going to go through a brief little rundown on how to administer CPR from a non-healthcare worker standpoint it's crucial to remember these steps below ensure the safety of yourself and the scene around the patient if you haven't already called 911 do so and or any other emergency available service for adults administer 30 compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 per minute with a depth of 2 to 4 in or 6 cm Place both hands in the center of the chest between their nipples for children aged 1 to eight use one hand to compress about 1/3 to 1 half the depth of the chest for infants and babies under one years of age use your index and your middle finger and just lightly compress the breast bone after 30 compressions provide two resy breath each lasting about one second you want to watch for the chest to rise with each breath if you are uncomfortable giving these Rusty breaths you can also just do the CPR look at this finally a nonwater related question from a viewer this email is from Eldred and he asks so nurse Katie what can be done to prevent sunburn I know this maybe sounds like kind of an obvious question but it's always a good idea to remind people about the dangers of getting Sunburn and what you can do to prevent it thanks El it's important to remember that even though it might feel like spring everywhere else here in Florida it's really already Summer with the summer season comes the increased risk of sunburns while sunburns may seem like a temporary discomfort they can lead to long-term damage and health issues spending the time Outdoors offers so many benefits such as staying active reducing stress and ging essential vitamin D however it is crucial to protect your skin from the Sun to avoid raising your risk of skin cancer most skin cancers are caused by overexposure to UV rates which come from the sun tanning beds or any other kind of sunlamp it's important to remember that UV rays can reach you on cloudy days even and reflect off surfaces like water cement sand and even snow so what can you do to prevent sunburn well one of the easiest things you can do is sh seek shade you can lower your risk of sun damage by just staying in the shade under an umbrella going underneath a roof a tree or any other kind of shelter using sunscreen or wearing protective clothing is also vital while you're in the shade whenever possible opt for a long sleeve shirt long pants or a long skirt to Shield yourself from the UV rays if this isn't practical wearing a t-shirt or a beach cover up is actually a really good alternative clothes made from lightly woven fabric offer the best protection it's important to note that a wet t-shirt provides less UV protection than a dry one and darker colors even though they might feel warmer actually offer more protection than any lighter colors for even more protection you can wear a hat a hat with a brim that Shades your face ears and the back of your neck choose a tightly woven fabric such as canvas to safeguard your skin from UV R avoid straw hats with holes that let Sun through darker hats may offer more UV protection if you prefer a baseball capat make sure that your ears and the back of your neck are covered with clothing sunscreen or shade you could also wear sunglasses to protect your eyes sunglasses not only protect your eyes from the UV rays but also reduces the risk of cataracts in the future and also it Shields a delicate skin around your eyes from Sun op for sunglasses that block both UVA and UV Rays for the best protection but Katie what is UVA and what is UVB UVA is a longer wavelength that penetrates deeper into the skin reaching layers beneath the surface UVA rays are usually associated with skin aging and inflammation and can lead to skin cancer while UVB are shorter waves and causes skin to burn UVB is a major driver of skin cell mutations that cause the skin cancer you can also use sunglasses that wrap around and they will also block the side of your face the next way to prevent is obviously wearing sunscreen always apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher before going outside and broad spectrum covers the UVA and the UVB waves that we spoke about a little bit ago make sure you apply a thick layer to all Exposed Skin and ask for help if you can't get to hardre places like your back remember sunscreen is most most effective when used in conjunction with the other protective measures it's important to note that sunscreen is not recommended for babies under six months old try to keep them in the shade or just out of the sun completely remember to always reapply your sunscreen it can wear off very easily whether you're swimming sweating or you're toweling dry if you've been out in the sun for more than 2 hours it's also time to reapply that sunscreen and always check the expiration date the expiration date on your sunscreen usually it only lasts about 3 years and if it's exposed to high heat the temperatures can shorten the shelf life of it I completely understand the pain that comes with sunburn it's important to treat it as soon as you notice it the first thing you can do is get out of the Sun and seek some shade taking a cool shower or bath can help relieve the pain but be sure not to stay in for too long as it can drive out your skin and also please avoid using harsh soaps or exfoliating your skin as both can further irritate after taking a shower and gently patting yourself dry leave your skin slightly damp so that can help trap the Moisturizer in when you apply it it's best to avoid petroleum Bas like a vaseline as they can trap the Heat and worse in the sunburn Instead try a light moisturizer or a gel that contains aloe vera ver or soy you can also apply a cool compress to your skin to ease the discomfort drinking extra water extra water is actually very important also because the sunburn draws fluid away from your body and you want to avoid feeling dehydrated remember to stay out of the sun entirely until the burn heals as Suns sunburn skin is more vulnerable to further damage speaking of sunburns Blair just submitted a really important question to us VI Facebook hi nurse cutie thanks for sharing all the great information my question is what is the difference between a first-degree Sunburn and a second deegree sunburn thanks for the kind words Blair I love my job and I love helping people it can be really painful and uncomfortable to have any type of sunburn sunburns can be classified as first or second degree depending on the depth and the size of the affected area of the skin a first-degree sunburn may cause the skin to turn any anywhere from light pink to bright red and it would be painful to touch in this type of Burn only the upper layers of the skin are affected and it should heal within a couple days a first deegree sunburn may cause the following skin symptoms usually about four hours after you you get the sunburn um your skin might be more red you might have a warm or kind of a tight feeling you could have swelling you could even have some blistering of the skin and you're probably going to be a little sore peeling skin may occur about 3 to eight days after the exposure and other symptoms you might have are headaches your temperature might go up you might feel tired and you might even feel a little nauseous a second degree sunburn is more serious causing the skin to become severely red swollen and blistered due to damage to the Deep layer of the skin and the nerve endings this type of sunburn is more painful and will take about two weeks to heal some symptoms of a second deegree burn may include deep red skin swelling and blistering of a very large area your sunburn might look wet or have very shiny skin it'll be painful and there might be some little white discoloration within the burn people with second deegree sunburn can follow the same steps to ease their symptoms but they may need further advice and treatment from a health care professional it's important not to pop blisters as doing so could impede healing and lead to infection if the dermis is exposed allowing bacteria to enter signs of infection include oozing pus or red streaks on the skin radiating from the blisters whether it's a first or a second degree sunburn your skin may start to peel a few days after the initial burn this mean your body is trying to get rid of those damaged cells it's important to let the skin fall off naturally for the same reason you don't want to pop a blister you also don't want to peel the skin yourself because you could introduce bacteria and risk in infection if you've got questions we've got answers and just in case you missed it the first couple of times here's yet another chance to find out where to send in your questions send in your questions to questions at allhealth tv.com or allhealth goo on Facebook or YouTube or visit the ask the do page on our website allhealth tv.com as painful and potentially hazardous as a second degree sunburn can be it's not the most dangerous Affliction to be concerned about during the summer check out the question we just got via YouTube from Colin Colin asks hi nurse kiy what's the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion and which is more dangerous Colin this might be the question of the day before we do a deep dive on this important topic let's check out this video from our friends at mail Clinic your body is like a car's engine if it starts to overheat the warning light goes on and that is heat exhaustion which is where you feel nauseous or dizzy you just don't feel right and um you're sweating profusely anyone at any age can suffer from heat exhaustion high temperatures particularly when paired with high humidity are the primary cause ways to prevent it include hydrating a lot dressing appropriately for the weather going into an air conditioned place when you don't feel quite right taking breaks if you're outside working with without prompt treatment heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke a life-threatening condition that requires emergency medical attention the management of heat stroke is giving them fluids and dunking them into a cool ice waterer bath as quickly as possible a common symptom of heat stroke is an altered mental state or behavior the Pearl I always say is to look for confusion if they are confused they are having heat stroke if anybody is in the Heat and they're feeling nauseous and just not quite right they should take a break Hydrate with cool water and just sit down for a little bit and let their body cool down big thanks to our friends at the Mayo Clinic for that very enlightening video as the weather gets warmer we tend to spend more time outside under the hot sun it's important to know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion heat exhaustion occurs when your body excess amounts of water and salt typically from sweating on the other hand heat stroke is a serious medical emergency it occurs when your body is unable to control its internal temperature as the weather gets warmer we tend to spend more time outside under the hot sun it is important to know the difference between heat stroke and heat exhaustion knowing the signs and symptoms of these two conditions could save your life or that of a loved one so you be may be asking hey nurse Kat what are the symptoms of O so let's do that deep dive that I was talking about earlier first let's go over the symptoms of heat exhaustion heat exhaustion you might feel some general weakness feeling tired um you might start sweating a lot um you might feel that your pulse is beating faster you might feel like you're going to throw up or you actually do um and if it does get pretty bad you might even faint or feel like you're going to faint feel light headed dizziness like the room is spinning around so what should you do if you feel this way if you were you if you are somebody you know is displaying these symptoms you can move to a shaded area remove unnecessary lasers of clothing take a cool shower or use a cold compress make sure to hydrate with water lots and lots of water sports drinks are okay sometimes you can flavor your water but really ultimately just try to drink that water suck on ice cubes things like that um and if you do feel like you're going to pass out lay down so then you don't fall and hurt yourself further um if you do start vomiting that's usually when you do need to go seek medical attention because you're already have the heat exhaustion you're going to be dehydrated and the vomiting is just going to make the the dehydration even worse so the symptoms of heat stroke are a little different than those of the heat exhaustion so heat stroke your body temperature is going to go up normal is about 98.6 well your your temperature is going to go up to 104 um you're G to have still that rapid pulse you're going to have probably a loss of consciousness or you're going to feel different you're going to feel confused um and a little bit slow to respond um your Skin's going to get hot wet and dry um sometimes you'll have the the moist skin from sweating um but you're going to feel really warm so what do you do if you have these symptoms so if you have them or somebody you love has them you should probably either call 911 or if you have a safe ride drive to the nearest ER um if if you're unable to get to the ER right away move to to a shaded area or a cooler area um try to get some circulating air turn on some fans have people fan you so you feel a bit cooler um if able you can use a cold compress a wet washcloth um you can even try to get into an ice bath keep in mind that heat stroke can be much more serious than heat exhaustion and it does require immediate medical attention to prevent complications if you're experiencing heat exhaustion for extended period of time it can lead to heat stroke heat stroke can come on quickly if it's very hot or if you're overexerting yourself that's why it's important to begin treatment at the first signs of heat exhaustion here are my final suggestions to help prevent any time of any type of heat related illness wear loose fitting clothes when out in the Summer sun don't over exert and don't drink alcohol as it actually makes you dehydrated spend time in the shade as much as you can and lastly drink plenty of water all right our last question of the day is of course another water related one this one is from our website at allhealth tv.com and it's from Lupe Lupe asks nurse Katie my husband and I are in our 60s and we've noticed that we don't drink as much water as we used to now that it's summer what are the signs of dehydration and what can we do to prevent it another important question from one of our viewers thanks Luffy all right so first things first one of the consequences of Aging is addition to a diminished sense of thirst is your body simply has less water than it did when you were younger in other words older people have a built-in water deficit that's one reason why it's so important for seniors to stay hydrated dehydration occurs when your body doesn't have enough water it's important to remember to drink water even before you feel thirsty feeling thirsty means your body is already mildly dehydrated which can lead to discomfort such as headaches fatigue and dizziness severe dehydration can even result in life-threatening conditions like heat stroke please remember to take care of yourself and stay hydrated when you aren't prop properly hydrated your body's natural response is thirst you should respond to that right away by drinking fluids preferably water you can usually treat mild dehydration by drinking more fluids guess what we've got one more video from our friends at Mayo Clinic and this one has to do with staying hydrated sometimes signs that you're uh thirsty sometimes your brain mistakes that for Hunger um even irritability dark colored urine or even dry skin those are some signs that your body is thirsty even though your brain doesn't tell you I'm thirsty for a glass of water sometimes your brain mistakes that for Hunger the downfall to not drinking enough water is it can damage your organs uh your down to your kidneys most importantly skin um your organs do need water to function properly on a daily basis what I usually tell my patients is if it contains caffeine or alcohol that doesn't count towards your water intake for the day reason being is that alcohol or caffeine can actually act as a diuretic where you're going to be going to the bathroom more which can actually cause you to lose more water so um with that drinking straight water does count towards those eight glasses of water per day sparkling water is okay as well I think that unless you have a sensitivity where you have any bloating uh but definitely sparkling water is an okay alternative as well thank you for another informative video from the folks at mail clinic so I'm going to go really quickly into some symptoms of dehydration um you can have dry tongue and lips some dry wrinkled skin you might have some muscle cramps especially in your calves um and you might notice like they said in the video that your urine is darker than usual um some things with children is there's no tears when crying and they won't have wet diapers so you have to seek medical assistance well that's it for this episode of ask the doc thank thanks for watching we'll see you next time send in your questions to questions allhealth tv.com or allhealth go on Facebook or YouTube or visit the askthe do page on our website allhealth tv.com