It's never too hot for helmets

A lot of traffic through Urgent Care at the Austin Medical Center each summer comes from children with banged-up wrists, Dr. Paul Jacobson said.

Breaks, sprains and bruises to wrists from crashes on skateboards and in-line skates sideline many children for the season in some of the most preventable injuries of summer. Health professionals say children need to wear their gear -- wrist guards, knee pads and helmets.

"I think that would prevent some real significant injuries," Jacobson said.

While doctors see wrist damage most often, head injury is the most significant danger of the season, Jacobson said.

Margene Gunderson, director of community health services, said parents need to teach that lesson at an early age.

"Kids, unless they develop those habits early on, are less likely to use them when they are adolescents," she said. "Parents need to do their best to make sure their children are wearing helmets."

Michael and Marcus Weis, Ethan Lange and Paisith Sengsouriya are four friends who head for the skate park at Mill Pond regularly in summer. They don't always wear their gear, they said, but the do own it, and strap it on when they are trying out new moves.

"We usually wear a helmet when we do something in the air where we might fall on our heads," Marcus said.

Many children are looking up to the right people. The Weis' role-model, their uncle Ben Weis, is a professional skater. As a professional, he must wear protective gear in competition. Nonetheless, the Weises said he comes home with injuries all the time.

"When we see him, he's always got a broken leg, a broken wrist," Marcus said.

Fifteen-year-old Lange has broken his arm doing tricks on his in-line skates and said it is something he thinks about often when out practicing.

"After you've broken your arm, you worry," he said.

However, they all agreed that protective gear is burdensome, and they do not use it when they are practicing their regular moves.

"I just can't do anything with a helmet on," Lange said. "It's too much weight on your head."

It's a tough job for parents to

get equipment on their teenagers. Many teens consider a scar a badge of honor, proof of dedication to the sport.

"If you don't come home with scabs and stuff, that tells you you're not trying your best," Marcus said.

And some teenagers think they're immune to damage.

"I fall all the time, but I don't get hurt," Sengsouriya said.

Avoiding sickness, sun and stings

Summer outings are the venue for a variety of illnesses and injuries in the summer months, said Margene Gunderson, director of community health services.

Different times of day pose different threats to health, but taking the proper precautions can lessen your chance of harm.

Dangers from a picnic lunch are some of the most controllable hazards.

Gunderson said there are about 300,000 hospitalizations per year in the United States from food-borne illnesses and those only reflect a fraction of the people who actually get food poisoning. She said many people have it for a brief time but never go to the hospital.

Cross contamination, when surfaces or utensils are used for both raw and cooked food items, is what people need to watch out for in the kitchen or at the backyard grill.

"Just make sure that you separate things and clean them between using them," Gunderson said.

She said a person should go to the hospital if they have diarrhea or fever for more than three days. Bacterial problems such as E. coli can be treated with antibiotics.

Protect your skin

Overexposure to the sun is another problem people face while on outdoor excursions, Dr. Paul Jacobson, a doctor at Urgent Care in Austin, said.

Gunderson agreed and said picnic times, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. are the worst times to be out. Too much sun can have serious consequences.

"Melanoma is becoming the number one leading form of cancer," she said. "We're seeing more cases than we have in the past."

Ultraviolet rays can kill or change skin cells. Even a good-looking tan can be harmful.

"It's not a good sign of health," Gunderson said. "That's really the skin's response to injury."

Covering your skin is the best way to avoid problems, but sunscreen can help as long as you follow the directions on the bottle and reapply when necessary. But check your containers of sunscreen, Gunderson said. They usually expire after about two years.

If you get a burn, Jacobson said two things are important to remember. Make sure to cover the injured area and drink lots of fluids.

Prevent mosquito bites

Mosquito-borne illnesses are also something to be aware of. Some mosquitoes still carry the West Nile virus. Last year, Mower County had three cases of the disease and Gunderson said she expects more this year.

However, the species that carries West Nile is not prevalent in back yards or similar spots, she said. Those mosquitoes prefer marshy areas, so be especially careful in the swampier spots outside of the city.

There are preventative measures besides a good dose of bug spray to keep mosquitoes away.

Gunderson said standing water is the breeding ground for the insects. Things like buckets of water or bird feeders that fill up after a storm provide a perfect place for mosquitoes to hatch. Rivers or ponds with circulating water are not as much of a problem, she said.

"If that water's moving, mosquitoes aren't going to breed in that," she said.

Swim with safety in mind

Pools and other swimming areas pose both drowning and risk of illness, Gunderson said.

She recommends not swimming alone. The buddy system can save lives. Also pool owners need to make sure there is a fence around their pool.

Babies with soiled diapers in the water can also cause problems. Bacteria can be spread in that manner, and Gunderson said it is usually the cause of outbreaks in a pool.

"If people think the chlorine is going to take care of that, it won't," she said.

Matt Merritt can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at :mailto:matt.merritt@austindailyherald.com