June Health Check Part 2: Summer safety tips for parents to keep your kids safe

PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Summer time is a great time to enjoy the outdoors, especially for kids when they are not in school for a few months.

With no school, comes a bit more freedom for activities such as hanging out with friends, going to the pool, spending more time on your phone or other electronic devices, and so much more.

Dr. Lori Gledhill with WVU Medicine Camden Clark Medical Center has plenty of safety tips for parents who may be nervous about their kids venturing out during the summer.

Bugs can be a big problem during the summer. Dr. Gledhill has some tips to keep you protected from ticks and mosquitoes.

Teenagers tend to have some more freedom in the summertime and parents will want to make sure they are safe.

Dr. Gledhill has tips on how to communicate with your teenagers and what to look out for to keep them safe this summer.

Teenagers will also be on the roadways more often during the summer.

Dr. Gledhill shared more tips when it comes to talking to you teenagers about being safe this summer on the roads.

Screen time tends to go up in the summer for kids. Teenagers will also spend a lot of their free time on social media. It is important to encourage them to get outside and try not to spend extra time lock onto electronic devices.

Dr. Gledhill says that screens are definitely having a negative effect on a lot of teens. She says studies show that teens who spend four or more hours on their electronics have more anxiety and depressing.

She also says using social media apps can lead to more isolation and low self-esteem, especially in teenage girls.

Dr. Gledhill also mentioned that screen time leads to more sleep disruptions which can fuel things like mood destabilization and decreased concentration and anxiety.

Dr. Gledhill says even though there may be some negatives to screen time there are also some positives for children.

Using social media and messaging apps can help them stay in touch with their friends during the summer, they can access creative outlets and e-learning. They can also access mental health resources on their devices as well.

She does emphasize that it would be better to get them outside to enjoy the summer heat and spend less time on their devices.

To hear more summer safety tips from Dr. Gledhill make sure to watch the interview at the top of the article!

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