There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of your children.  That's why Kaniksu Community Health provides quality and compassionate care to infants, children and adolescents. In addition to caring for your children when they become sick, we are also dedicated to keeping them healthy, active and out of the hospital. We recognize the importance of good health for a growing child and our pediatric care team works with you and your child to ensure they live a healthy and active life.

Building a relationship with your child’s entire care team, from the pediatric provider to the nursing staff and the friendly faces that greet you when you arrive, will make your child’s experience more pleasant as well. Your child’s pediatrician should be where you start for questions about your child’s health. Their job is to keep your child as healthy as possible, so your kids can reach their full potential!

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​When you’re the parent to a brand-new baby, every first is worth celebrating—and that first summer is an event worth looking forward to. But newborns need some extra care and protection to enjoy the summer without facing risks from heat and sun exposure, among other potential dangers.

These hazards can be easily managed and avoided, but only if you know what to expect. To help parents care for their newborns during this time of year, here are five summer safety tips to help you enjoy a problem-free summer.

• Keep infants under six months of age out of the sun. The skin on brand-new babies doesn’t yet have the pigmentation it needs to protect itself from sun damage. This means that even sunscreen can’t keep your newborn safe from direct sunlight. For this reason, it’s recommended that you keep newborns out of the sun as much as possible. Some brief exposure is fine, but too much sunlight could result in severe sunburn.

• Dress your newborn in loose clothing, but make sure they have a hat for added sun protection. Newborns have a higher natural body temperature than adults, so they can be lightly clothed during the summer without fear of them getting cold—unless you move indoors and have them around air conditioning. If you’re outside and temps are high, light, breathable layers is probably all your child needs. “Pay attention to signs that your baby may be overheating. Sweating is a classic sign, if they’re sweating, they need to be cooled off,” says Pediatric Associates Regional Medical Director Barbara Alexander, D.O.  “An overheated child may also be irritable, crying, have red cheeks, or have a heat rash on their body.​

• Learn the signs of dehydration in a newborn. Overheating isn’t the only risk of warm summer temperatures. Your newborn may also become dehydrated, especially if they’re sweating to cool their bodies in hot weather. Pay attention to possible signs of dehydration, including decreased saliva, a lack of tears when crying, lethargy, and a lack of wet diapers. In some cases, the soft spots on your newborn’s skull may also sink in due to dehydration. If you notice these symptoms, it’s important to hydrate your infant quickly. “Infants should only be hydrated with breast milk and/or an infant formula,” says Dr. Alexander. “These sources of nutrition offer everything an infant needs to re-hydrate.”

• Don’t use water to keep a baby hydrated. For older children and adults, water is an excellent source of hydration. But water isn’t the only nutrient needed to hydrate a body, and for newborns, water is missing too many nutrients and electrolytes.

• Don’t assume your child is safe in their car seat. One of the biggest rules of parenting a newborn is never leaving them alone in a car during the summer. Direct sunlight and warm, humid weather can create a life-threatening environment in just minutes. But even if you’re in the car, check your child to make sure they’re not being exposed to prolonged direct sunlight in their car seat. The sun’s rays can give them a sunburn and/or raise their body temperature to an unsafe level. Consider using sun-blocking covers on your windows to keep your infant protected at all times.

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