Top 10 Summer Dangers for Kids

*Drowning. Children need constant supervision around places with even a minimal amount of water. Children can drown in as little as an inch of water in a five-gallon bucket as well as in a swimming pool.

*Vehicle. Never leave a child unattended in a car. Even when the outside temperature does not feel hot, the temperature inside a car can reach over 100 degrees in a matter of minutes. And buckle up!

*Playground injuries. Falls cause 80 percent of all injuries. Limit the height of playground equipment and install and maintain a strong surface in accordance with current safety guidelines.

*Sun damage. Parents should apply sunscreen to children regularly when outside, even on overcast days. Because children are outside a lot, they get an average of three times more sun exposure than adults.

*Insect bites. Dress your child appropriately in long sleeves and pants and light colors and use insect repellent that contains DEET placed on their clothing.

*Injuries while home alone. Working parents can find themselves needing or thinking about having kids take care of themselves. Statistics show children alone are three times more likely than those under adult care to be involved in incidents where they are injured or harmed in some other way. Make sure your child knows what to do if he is injured or if there is an emergency situation.

*Lightning and thunderstorms. Every year about 100 people are killed by lightning. Children should be taught to seek safe shelter before a storm begins. If no shelter is available they should get to an open space and squat low to the ground as quickly as possible. Kneel or crouch with hands on knees.

*Boating and personal water craft injuries. Life jackets are required to be worn on boats by many states and must be present on all bodies of water supervised by the U.S. Coast Guard. Look for life jackets and preservers approved by the U.S. Coast Guard. Children riding jet skis are at risk of head trauma, spinal injuries and trauma to the chest and abdomen.

 Water Heater Maintenance

Water heaters need to have some maintenance done on them every six months or so.  Regular maintenance will help extend the life of the click here for the rest of the article