Summer is knocking on our door, and as the temperature rises we are slowly switching into the summer mood. Although there will be lots of fun this summer we need to think about the safety. Do you know that most common dangers are sun burns, insect bites, backyard pool drowning, diseases lurking from the swimming pool water and food poisoning?

Sunburn is more frequent than it should be, because many people think it’s just bright sun we need to worry about. Actually it’s the sun’s ultraviolet or “UV” rays, 80% of which penetrate thin clouds, haze, and fog. These rays can create short and long-range damage regardless of how bright the sun is. UV damage to the skin isn’t just temporary. Excessive exposure over the time, regardless of our own skin type, can lead to sagging and wrinkling of the skin and premature age spots. It will increase the risk of skin cancer. And don’t forget that kids have thinner skin and they are even more sensible to UV rays, actually, more than 80% of person’s lifetime exposure to the sun occurs before the age of 21. And it’s not just long-term consequences you need to think of, sunburns can cause severe pain.

Insect bites may be cause a lot of discomforts. Although, the vast majority of people will only have a localized reaction to a bug bite or sting, about 3 percent of the population may develop an allergic reaction, including symptoms of a rash and hives that are distant from the site of the bite or sting that will require medical attention. Mosquito bites can be painful and cause itchy skin but they are not the insects you should worry about. Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of warm-blooded animals, including humans. Their bite is usually painless with little or no local reaction. Two diseases that can be spread by ticks are Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) and Lyme disease symptoms include high fever, headache, rash, fatigue and muscle aches. Symptoms can start up to a few weeks after the tick bite and the outcome can be life-threatening.