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www.FredParent.NET • 21 Sponsored Material Join us August 13 for the live conversation on Q: Summer gets hot. If a child does get sunburned, what is the best way to treat it? Those with darker skin coloring tend to be less sensitive to the sun, but everyone is at risk for sunburn and its associated disorders. Children especially need to be protected from the sun's burning rays, since most sun damage occurs in childhood. The signs of sunburn usually appear six to twelve hours after exposure, with the greatest discomfort during the first 24 hours. If your child's burn is just red, warm and painful, you can treat it yourself. Apply cool compresses to the burned areas or bathe the child in cool water. You also can give acetaminophen to help relieve the pain. (Check the package for appropriate dosage for her age and weight. If the sunburn causes blisters, fever, chills, headache or a general feeling of illness, call your pediatrician. Q: With warmer weather come bug bites. What are a few ways to treat bug bites at home and how can we prevent them in small children? Check for nests in areas where children play. Nests can be found in old tree stumps, around rotting wood and in holes in the ground. Check in auto tires that are part of a playground. Look around trashcans. Have insect nests removed by a professional exterminator. Don't allow children who are allergic to insects to play outside alone when stinging insects are active. Even a dead insect can sting if a child steps on it or picks it up. Wear shoes. Avoid wearing sandals or going barefoot. Avoid wearing bright colors and floral patterns. These can attract insects. Wear white, green, tan and khaki. These colors are not as attractive to insects. When eating outdoors, avoid foods that attract insects. Tuna, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, watermelon, sweetened drinks, frozen sweet treats and ice cream are foods that attract insects. Stay away from garbage cans and dumpsters. If an insect is near, do not swat at it or run. These actions can trigger an attack. Walk away slowly. If you have disturbed a nest and the insects swarm around you, curl up as tightly as you can to reduce exposed skin. Keep your face down and cover your head with your arms. A child who is allergic to insects should wear a medical alert necklace or bracelet. Have questions you want to ask Dr. Hood? He will be hosting Ask The Expert live, on our Facebook Page, August 13 th, at 8 pm. Come join the conversation! facebook.com/FredericksburgParent a sk t h e e x p e rt Q: Summer colds are the worst! What is the best way to treat them? Although you may be tempted to give your child over-the- counter (OTC) decongestants and antihistamines to try to ease the cold symptoms, there's little or no evidence to support that they actually work. In fact, decongestants can cause hallucinations, irritability and irregular heartbeats, particularly in infants, and shouldn't be used in kids younger than 4 years old without first consulting a doctor. And many experts now believe that there's usually no reason to use these medications in any child younger than 6. Q: What are the best ways to keep a young child from scratching poison ivy? Prevention is the best approach. Know what the plant looks like and teach your children to avoid it. If there is contact, wash all clothes and shoes in soap and water. Also, wash the area of the skin that was exposed with soap and water for at least 10 minutes after the plant or the oil has been touched. If the eruption is mild, apply calamine lotion three or four times a day to cut down on the itching. Avoid those preparations containing anesthetics or antihistamines, as often they can cause allergic eruptions themselves. Apply topical 1 percent hydrocortisone cream to decrease the inflammation. If the rash is severe, on the face, or on extensive parts of the body, a pedia- trician may need to place your child on oral steroids. These will need to be given for about six to ten days, often with the dose tapering in a specific sched- ule determined by your pediatrician. This treatment should be reserved for the most severe cases. When eating outdoors, avoid foods that attract insects. sandwiches, watermelon, sweetened drinks, frozen sweet treats and ice