Summer comes with warm weather, outdoor activities, and beach trips as families enjoy vacations and children are out of school. There is no better time to enjoy the outdoors than the summer.

The festivities and activities that are so enjoyable during the summer help improve mental and physical strength since people become more socially connected and physically active. However, all the fun comes with a higher chance of being injured or getting sick.

Almost 17% of children and 20% of adults visit the hospital yearly because of summertime injuries. Therefore, you have to practice safety measures to avoid trips to our emergency room in Temple.

Let’s explore some reasons that might cause a spike in ER visits during summer.

Reasons for Emergency Room Visits Spike in Summer

Even though summertime is the best time to relax and enjoy some family time, it’s vital to know that it is the time when most people are at risk of having summer emergencies. Some of the reasons for the spike in ER visits during the summer might be:

• Sprains, Broken Bones, Strains, and Other Orthopedic Injuries

If you are very active, you are at an elevated risk of injury, especially if you are out of shape. No matter your age, it is common for people to have musculoskeletal injuries—in sports-related activities such as football, cycling, basketball, soccer, roller skating, and skateboarding.

• Dehydration

Spending most days outdoors enjoying the sun comes with a lot of sweating. If you do not rehydrate often, you will likely faint, feel dizzy, nauseous, or even confused. All these are signs of dehydration. If you don’t drink enough water and replace your fluids and electrolytes, then you might be severely dehydrated and will need to visit our emergency room in Temple.

• Sunburns

Too much sun exposure can cause adverse side effects. Your skin cannot withstand the heat; you can experience sunburns. At times, sunburns can accompany other symptoms such as nausea, chills, pain, high fever, confusion, and headaches, which will mean that you need immediate medical care.

Other sun-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and heat cramps are also problems that arise when there is too much sun exposure.

• Burns

There is no better time than the summer to get the grills out and enjoy some nice barbeque with friends and family. However, backyard fire pits, hot grills, and sparklers can cause severe burns. Fireworks can also cause serious harm to you and your kids. Statistics show that about 15,000 injuries are due to fireworks.

• Drowning

Swimming is one of the most preferred activities during the summer. Being in the water during a hot day is relaxing and fun. However, kids and adults drown each year, but the number of people who have drowned spikes during the summer. Kids are more likely to drown, so there is always a higher rate of drowning in kids between one to four years. In any case, anyone can fall victim.

• All-Terrain Vehicles Accidents

These vehicles include four-wheelers, dirt bikes, and motorcycles, which are responsible for many injuries and fatalities yearly.

• Foodborne Illnesses

Bacteria and fungi grow much easier in warmer temperatures. If you eat food that hasn’t been refrigerated for several hours, you will be more likely to dash to our ER for foodborne illnesses.

Who Is Most at Risk for Emergency Room Visits in Summer?

The fact is that anyone is at risk of experiencing common summer emergencies. Even though anyone can sustain any injury during summer, kids are more likely to experience accidents or injuries that might require immediate medical care.

Kids become more active and have more free time once the school year ends. Therefore, there is also a change in supervision, which causes a spike in injuries and accidents.

How Can You Keep Safe During Summer?

Since more outdoor activities will be during the summer, you should practice more caution. You might have to:

• Wear protective gear like helmets and pads while riding bikes, skating, etc.
• Set off fireworks far from houses and people
• Watch over your children when they are in the water, even though they know how to swim
• Wear sunscreen
• Keep food refrigerated
• Supervise kids when they are around grills and fireworks
• Stay hydrated

Not all injuries might require medical attention. You might have to perform basic first aid, and your kids will be okay.

Contact us at Express Emergency Room in Temple if you need medical attention.