Family Traveler

(Jacob Rumans) #1

FAMILYHEALTHWITHDRRANJMostsummerholidaysrevolvearoundthewater–so,whatcanwedotomakesureourfamilyhavefunANDstaysafe?1swimmingclassesYoumightbesurprisedbythenumberofpeoplewhohaven’thadswimminglessonsthatventureintothewateronholiday.Notonlydolessonsgetyouusedtothewaterandteachyouhowtogetabout,buttheyalsoteachyouaboutsafety.Remember:oceanswimmingisdifferentfromswimminginapool,andextraattentiontosafetyisvitalhere.2signsBeforegoingintoanybodyofwater,makesureyouhavereadnearbywarningsignsandknowwhattheymean–especiallyifyouandyourfamilyareswimminginriversortheocean.Thesewilladviseyouonpotentialdangersintermsofhowstronganywavesandcurrentsare,aswellasanydangerouswildlifethatmightbefoundinthearea.STAYINGWELLIN THEWATER4sicknessAlthoughit’slesslikelyintreatedpools,watercanbeasourceofillness.Mostly,thisconcernsinfectionsfromswallowingaffectedwater–suchasnorovirus,GiardiaandCampylobacter–andresultsinabdominalsymptoms(e.g.vomitinganddiarrhoea).Aswellasrestandrehydration,somemayrequirespecialmedicaltreatment,sogetyourchildcheckediftheybecomeunwell.3supervisionAnychildinthewaterneedssupervision–bethatfromfamilyoraprofessional,suchasalifeguard.Thisisevenmoreimportantforsmallchildren,wholiketoexplore,andmayendupinthewaterwithoutyouknowing.Notewherethenearestlifeguardisandtrytostaynearby.Also,kidsmayliketodiveintothings,butthisshouldonlybedoneinknowndepths–otherwise,alwaysgoinfeetfirst!5skinTherearetwomainreasonsyoushouldpayextraattentiontoyourskininthewater.First,swimmingwashesoffsunblock,reducingitseffectiveness.Second,manypeopledon’trealisewaterreflectsthesun,andthatincreasesexposureofanypartsofthebodyabovethewatertoUVradiation.So,reapplysunblockregularlyandtrytousecreamwithanSPFofatleast 30 andbothUVAandUVBprotection.n29LDON’TFORGETTHE5S’sTOBESAFEINTHEWATERremember:firstaidsaveslivesIt’sextremelyimportantthatparentsknowwhattodoiflittleonesgetintotroubleinthewater.Remember,childrenwillNOTnecessarilyshoutorwaveiftheyrunintoproblems,anditdoesn’ttakealotofwaterortimetodrown.Soit’sessentialtobeawareofbasicfirstaidandknowhowtogiveCPR,justincaseofarareemergency.``````CBEEBIES’DRRANJSINGHISANH NSDOCTOR``````lSHOUTFORHELP!lCHECKFORSIGNSOFLIFEANDBREATHINGlGIVE5RESCUEBREATHSlCHECKAGAINFORSIGNSOFLIFElSTARTCHESTCOMPRESSIONS–GIVE 30 COMPRESSIONSTHEN2BREATHSlREPEATANDALTERNATE 30 COMPRESSIONSTHEN2BREATHS–UNTILTHECHILDRECOVERSORHELPARRIVES``````StJohnAmbulan``````cerunscourses``````forthepublicandhasreally``````usefulin``````formatio``````n``````(including``````demovideos)``````onitswebsit``````e:sja.org.uk``````SPLASHINGISSMASHINGThere’stonsofsafefuntobefoundinthewateronholiday

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