For the Love of Health

From Sunscreen to Supervision: A Parent's Guide to a Safe Pool Day with Dr. Dylan McDivitt

• ChristianaCare • Season 2 • Episode 24

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0:00 | 15:46

Summer is officially here, bringing with it backyard pool days, beach trips, and sunshine-filled adventures. But did you know your unprotected skin can be damaged by UV rays in as little as 15 minutes? That tanned complexion many associate with health is actually your body's response to damage!

Before you head to the pool, take a moment to consider a few summer safety tips with Dr. Dylan McDivitt from ChristianaCare Primary Care at Woodstown. He shares the latest guidance on what kind of sunscreen to use and how often to apply; tips on staying hydrated through summer heat; and the best ways to avoid accidents while swimming. And don't forget the importance of getting trained in CPR!

Don't let sunburn or heat stroke ruin your day at the pool - a few minutes of prep now will help you enjoy those long, lazy summer days all season long.

Dylan McDivitt, D.O. is a dedicated and enthusiastic board-certified family medicine physician. In his current role, he works with adult, senior, and pediatric patients to treat their day-to-day non-emergency/primary care needs and to develop strategies for their ongoing health and wellness management.
 

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Sunscreen Myths and Misconceptions

Speaker 1

There is a misconception that the higher the SPF, the longer you can be out in the sun before reapplying.

Speaker 2

You're listening to For the Love of Health, a podcast about delivering care and creating health, brought to you by Christiana Care. Hello everyone, I'm Jason Tokarski.

Speaker 3

And I'm Megan McGuhrman. Welcome to For the Love of Health brought to you by Christiana Care.

Speaker 2

It is officially summertime, which means pool days, beach weekends, barbecues, all top of mind. But while you're planning the summer fun, are you also considering summer safety For?

Speaker 3

example, did you know unprotected skin can be damaged by the sun's UV rays in as little as 15 minutes Not something a lot of us think about.

Speaker 2

Now to discuss the importance of keeping our families safe. This summer we're joined by Dr Dylan McDivitt from Christiana Care Primary Care at Woodstown.

Speaker 3

Dylan, thanks so much for being here today. Thanks for having me. There's so much we could talk about with summer safety, but I think today we'll set a scenario A family of four or five getting ready to go to the pool for the day, be it a friend's backyard pool or their local community pool. What are kind of the main topics that you think parents should have in the back of their mind anytime they're getting ready for one of these days?

Speaker 1

Yeah, absolutely. It's a great question. It's finally feeling nice and beautiful outside, sunny weather. I would say, when we're talking about safety in the summer and being around a pool, we're going to think about protecting ourselves from the sun, staying hydrated and then water safety.

Speaker 3

We'll start with sun. What would you say are the biggest misconceptions about sunscreen and just being out in the sun in general?

Speaker 1

One that certain people are less risk for sun damage and skin cancer, when really anybody and everybody is at risk for sun damage, sunburn and skin cancer. So, no matter your skin complexion, no matter the time of year, even if you're going to be outside, you need to protect yourself from the sun. I would say additionally, when we are going outside and we notice there's more cloud cover, we still need to protect ourselves from the sun. Up to 80% of the radiation from the sun will penetrate those clouds, so we can still get a sunburn on those cloudy days. And then, lastly, I think historically people would think that a tanned complexion is a sign of health, when quite the opposite, when we're getting a tanned complexion from sun exposure, it's really a sign of damage to the skin and our body's trying to protect us from further damage. So the only way to really protect ourselves completely is to not go outside. But for people who want to kind of get a tan complexion, they should use the self-tanning products and not the UV radiation from the sun or the tanning booths.

Speaker 3

Are all sunscreens created equal, or should we be looking at specific products at the store?

Choosing the Right Sunscreen

Speaker 1

So the short answer is no. They're definitely not all created equally. When picking out a sunscreen for yourself or your family, you're going to want to have a sunscreen that is a broad spectrum protection, one that is of an SPF 30 or greater and one that is water resistant. In terms of the broad spectrum, we want a sunscreen that protects us from both UVA and UVB radiation. Those are the radiation that comes from the sun that can cause skin damage and skin cancer, as well as signs of aging and fine lines and wrinkles. So you want broad spectrum to protect us from both A and B. In terms of SPF, it should be SPF 30 or greater.

Speaker 1

There is a misconception that the higher the SPF, the longer you can be out in the sun before reapplying, which really isn't true. No matter what your SPF is, you still want to reapply vigilantly. Patients of mine will ask well, shouldn't kids be in SPF 100 versus 30? And I think again, use the one that you're comfortable with. But in terms of bang for your buck, so to speak, at the SPF of 30, you get protection from 97% of that UV radiation, and SPF of 100 gives you 99%. So you're getting great coverage from the SPF of 30.

Speaker 1

And that SPF of 100 is not complete coverage from UV radiation. There is no way to completely protect ourselves from UV radiation outside, so use the one you're comfortable with. I think SPF of 30 is fantastic. If you want to go a bit stronger to 50 or 100, that's great as well, but not necessarily always necessary. And again, the stronger the SPF doesn't mean that it lasts longer, so to speak. And then, lastly, you want it to be water resistant. No sunscreen is waterproof. You're still going to have to reapply, you know, depending on the label of the sunscreen you're using. I encourage my patients to reapply every hour Setting an alarm on your phone is a great idea and to do that more frequently and apply more frequently when you're swimming or if you're sweating, but at least every hour is good for your water resistant sunscreens.

Speaker 2

Is there a preferred form of sunblock or sunscreen? You know, because you've got the spray-on ones and you've got the ones that are lotions and you just rub them in. Is there one both from the protection factor and just general health of the chemicals that are on you?

Sunscreen Application Methods

Speaker 1

I would say, first and foremost, you're going to want to use the sunscreen that you are comfortable with and that you'll be vigilant with, and certain people that's going to mean different things. Certain families are going to have certain priorities. So whatever sunscreen you're going to use and be consistent with is what we would recommend. That being said, there are differences to be aware of. You have your mineral sunscreens and your chemical sunscreen, so the mineral sunscreens are going to have, you know, ingredients such as zinc oxide. This might be better for, certainly, our pediatric patients. We would encourage mineral sunscreens and those with more sensitive skin. The mineral sunscreens are going to be a bit more difficult to rub into the skin, takes a bit more time to work them into your skin, might leave a white residue, can be a little bit more expensive, but they're going to be preferable for those with sensitive skin versus the chemical sunscreens. They are going to take 15 minutes to work with the chemical sunscreen, so you kind of wait the 15 minutes before you go in the water versus mineral will work immediately. The chemical sunscreens do take 15 minutes, but they'll rub in more easily. They won't leave a white residue but they can be a little bit, you know more harmful to the skin, I would say in people with sensitive skin. And then, in terms of the lotions versus the sprays, again, whatever you're going to use is the right one for you, but when using the sprays, which many families do prefer for the kids, who won't sit still and I like the spray as well, I won't lie. I think when using a spray still, I would defer to the instructions on the packaging, but I think spraying it on until it glistens. And I would defer to the instructions on the packaging, but I think spraying it on until it glistens. And then I personally do rub it in with my hand to ensure complete coverage of all my sun exposed areas, because that is the problem with the spray is missing some spots and then you, at the end of the day, you're finding that you are burnt when you thought you were being vigilant. So whatever is your preference is the one to use, just making sure you're using it appropriately and reapplying it consistently.

Speaker 1

I get a lot of patients who ask about applying sunscreen to their infants and newborns, and we generally don't recommend sunscreen in those less than six months of age. So in those kids and those babies, what do you do? Well, really you're going to be finding other ways to protect them from the sun, so putting them in clothing like wide print hats and then light colored clothing that has UV protection in it as well. And just something to keep in mind with that UV protected clothing is the UV protection will wear out as the clothing wears out. So you know, if you're passing down UV clothing over the course of years to siblings, sometimes that protection may not be there as it was when you first purchased it. So I would probably encourage repurchasing the clothing for kids when they're out in the sun with that UV protective layer on it.

Hydration Essentials for Summer

Speaker 2

All right, so this is wonderful information as far as what you're doing when you're out in the sun to protect your skin. How about we focus on the internal part now and that hydration factor which, especially on those really hot days as we get into, we're going to need to talk about? Are all waters created equal? What should be people looking for and how much water should somebody be?

Speaker 1

drinking if they're out in the sun all day? Yeah, absolutely. And this is a question patients ask every day is how much water should I drink? Or I only drink coffee or iced tea? We hear that a lot. So, in terms of how much water do individuals need to drink? It's an inexact science. It is going to be a little different for each person.

Speaker 1

Speaking in broad terms, I would say the average male should be drinking 13 to 15 cups of water per day, and that's a lot of water. I don't get that much. Water in A cup is eight ounces, just as a friendly reminder. So 13 to 15 cups for the average male and then, for the average female, nine to 11 cups per day. That to 15 cups for the average male, and then for the average female, nine to 11 cups per day. That is a lot of water. What I would say, especially when going outside, is to have a goal of drinking one to two cups of water per hour. So setting a timer on your phone, not only to reapply your sunscreen every hour, but also to try to drink your water every hour.

Speaker 1

And all waters aren't necessarily created equal. A lot of people do ask about the sports drinks to replenish our electrolytes and that can help with our hydration status. I would really reserve that for our athletes who are losing a lot through sweat and who are losing a lot of electrolytes through their sweat. But really, water is always first line. I really don't think we need sports drinks, you know, on the pool side, you know, really is water is the first line thing we would recommend for hydration. It's free tap water, at least as free, calorie free, sugar free. And then, in terms of other forms of you know liquids, coffee is going to have the opposite effect. It'll dehydrate us, acting as a diuretic same as alcohol. It's really not going to keep us hydrated at all and in fact we'll dehydrate us. So when drinking coffee or alcohol, I think a one-to-one ratio between those beverages and water is a good idea. So, with your morning cup of coffee, have a cup of water and with each alcoholic beverage during the day, pair it with a cup of water.

Speaker 2

What about some of the for lack of a better term fancy water?

Speaker 3

All the sparklings.

Speaker 2

Sparklings as well.

Speaker 1

I think they can be a good option. You know, a lot of times we want to sort of switch up our beverage when we're at the pool, something a little bit more sweet or with some flavor in it. So I think, look at the package label, look at the sugar content. I think that they can be a great option in addition to regular tap water. But again, just look at the sugar content for some of those, the mineral waters and things like that, and then you know, if you are looking for something sweet to change it up, I would say just doing some water infused with cucumber, lime or mint. If you want to be fancy, you can also, you know, make your own ice cubes with fruit in them. And then for the kids, I think having some snacks available that are high in water content will also help kind of counteract some of the water we're losing. So fruits and vegetables really is what we would.

Signs of Dehydration to Watch For

Speaker 2

What should somebody be looking out for to realize that they haven't been keeping up on that as strongly as they should be? What are those? Early warning signs of dehydration.

Speaker 1

So it is going to vary depending on the age. So if we're going to talk about first with our infants, who can't express when they're thirsty or dehydrated, the first thing to look at is the amount of what diapers they're producing. Six to eight on average in a day is what we would look for. Anything less can be a red flag and a sign of dehydration If they are a little bit more sleepy or a little bit fussier than normal. Dry lips, dry mouth, those can all be red flags and warning signs of dehydration For our kids. They can tell us when they're thirsty, but sometimes if they're playing in the pool, they're not going to come up and say I need water, I'm dehydrated.

Speaker 1

So you're going to look at the color of the urine. If it's more concentrated and darker in color. Again, dry lips if they are, you know, a little bit more fussy or if they're having some facial flushing, that can be a sign of dehydration. And then you know for everybody else teens and adults we might have some cold or heat intolerance, we might have some muscle cramping, dizziness, as well as again decreasing urinary output in darker colored urine.

Speaker 3

So we're wearing our sunscreen. We have our these days, very large water bottles there with us poolside. What about pool safety? Certainly, sometimes you know the worst can happen. What are key takeaways you want every family to understand as they're getting ready for that pool day?

Pool Safety and Water Watching

Speaker 1

Absolutely so. Yeah, unfortunately there are thousands of water-related incidents and deaths every year and we can take some you know precautions to certainly cut back and decrease that risk. I think for adults who have children or who have a pool in their backyard, I encourage people to look into CPR classes first and foremost, so cardiopulmonary resuscitative courses. It's a skill you want to have. You never want to use it or have to use it, but if you can use it in that situation you can save a life. So looking at the American Heart Association website for local courses, but outside of CPR courses, having a barrier around your pool, so a fence at least four feet height and then a latch on that fence that's outside of arm's reach of children is important.

Speaker 1

I wouldn't rely on pool alarms they're unreliable and create a false sense of security. And then, for those who are inexperienced swimmers, who cannot swim, they really should be wearing Coast Guard approved life vests or flotation devices and not relying on the floaties and the inflatable things we can buy, because, again, they're unreliable, creating a false sense of security. You want just being vigilant in terms of watching who's in the pool is so important. So having a designated water watcher, so an adult whose only job is to look at the kids. They're not on their phone, they're not drinking, they're not socializing, they're just watching the kids and switching them off every half hour to keep that person alert. I think that's very important.

Speaker 2

Tell me about the old story of you just ate and now you can't swim for 30 minutes. Is that a real thing?

Speaker 1

Yeah, I think it's a real thing. In a general sense, I think eating in the setting, especially, of dehydration, we are going to be really at risk for cramping. That's the main thing that we're looking at is allowing your body time to digest that food at is allowing your body time to digest that food. So if you're going to be swimming and also eating, I think eating smaller quantities if possible, so that you can more easily digest that. And that's why it is so important to have somebody who is kind of a responsible water watcher, because people do get cramps and, depending on the size of the person and how deep the pool water is, you can only tread water for so long. So I would encourage people to wait after they eat. I think half hour is a good general rule of thumb and it's just again to kind of decrease the risk of the complications as we're digesting that food.

Speaker 2

As Megan said when we started this, there are so many different ways we could go with this, but focusing on this one example, this one scenario that we've done here, do you have any other closing ideas, messages, suggestions to these families as they're starting their summer fun?

Planning for Summer Fun

Speaker 1

Summer is a time to be outside. There are a lot of benefits from the sun from helping with our vitamin D level to elevating our mood but we just want to do so and enjoy the sun in a safe way. So I think planning is the main thing I would say is to take away, take that extra 15 minutes, plan your pool bag with the water, set the timer on your phone for hourly alarms and think ahead to the situation you're going to with the pool Is it a friend's pool, a local pool? Your own pool? And just making sure that there are some parameters in place to keep everybody safe. One final fun fact would be when you are outside looking at your shadow. If the shadow is shorter than you are, that means that the sun is really at its peak, highest, most intense level, and that's really when you have to be even more vigilant in terms of protecting yourself from the sun damage.

Speaker 3

Dylan, thank you so much. I know I'm about to go fill my water bottle and I'm sure many of our listeners are as well.

Speaker 1

Thank you for having me.

Speaker 3

Check out the show notes for today's episode for more information on summer safety and to learn more about Christiana Care's primary care providers.

Speaker 2

You can always keep up with For the Love of Health on social media. Just search Christiana Care on your favorite platform.

Speaker 3

We'll be back in two weeks with another great conversation.

Speaker 2

Until then, thanks again for joining us For the Love of. Health.

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Megan McGuriman

Co-host