Note: At WFMC Health, you and your family’s health is our highest priority. Due to the recent COVID-19 situation, please observe all precautions given by the Oregon Health Authority regarding health and safety (read more here) during your extended time at home including spring break.
When you and your children embark on a spring break vacation, it’s important to remember to take certain precautions. Make sure that your family stays safe and healthy with these tips:
1. Avoid Risky Adventures
Many spring break destinations offer a wide range of opportunities for adventure. From swimming in the surf to braving woodland zip lines, safety should be the first consideration when choosing adventures for your family. For activities that are guided, like zip lines, do your research. Make sure that everyone participating meets the standards to participate. Less supervised activities, like playing in the ocean, should be done on a beach with a lifeguard and only during times when it is considered safe. Most beaches post signs when waves are too high for safe water play.
2. Pace Yourself
While the warmer weather of the changing season might make you feel up for anything, it’s a good idea to pace yourself. If your family has been cooped up inside all winter long, a long hike can lead to being sore and uncomfortable for the rest of your vacation. If you’re planning a lot more physical activity than you or your kids normally do, be sure to consider breaks to sit and rest. Stretch before and after to help avoid soreness the next day.
3. Hydrate
Whether you are spring skiing or enjoying your time on a tropical beach, hydration is one of the most important ways to stay safe and healthy. Water helps you to think more clearly, stay cool, and recover from a workout more quickly. If you find yourself dehydrated, consider a drink that has both water and electrolytes; natural options include coconut water. If you drink a lot of caffeinated beverages, you may want to cut down on your intake in warm weather or make sure you drink extra water to make up for it.
4. Avoid Excessive Sun Exposure
With the warmer weather beckoning you, your family may be tempted to spend all day in the sun, but you should use caution. Getting a little dose of sunlight enriches your body with vitamin D, but too much of it brings about various unhealthy effects.
Excessive exposure to the sun may lead to skin rashes, premature aging, and even skin cancer. Buy protective sunglasses for you and your children that provide maximum UV protection. Make sure that everyone applies sunscreen that’s more than SPF 15, which will adequately protect their skin. If you are anywhere near the ocean, be sure to choose a reef-safe variety of sunscreen.
5. Maintain Healthy Eating Habits
It can be tempting to eat more unhealthy foods during spring break when you might be on the go a lot. However, it’s important to ensure as healthy a diet as possible for your family to make sure everyone has the nutrition they need to recharge their bodies each day. Try to keep your food intake from being too processed; the more ingredients you know, the better. It’s a good idea to have a variety of fruits and vegetables with each meal. For pickier eaters, it can help to provide several colors of food to choose from.
Spring break adventures require some health and safety measures to ensure that you get back to daily life focused and re-energized; start with these tips to help.
Looking for a Salem Oregon Pediatrician? Do you have more questions about raising healthy kids? Contact our staff at WFMC Health or become a new patient today!
