Tips to enjoy summer safely

MADURAI

The arrival of summer leaves us yearning for water and shade as seasonal ailments tag along. Doctors share tips on how to stay safe this summer.

Common seasonal ailments like prickly heat, heat rash and boils, dermatitis, pollen allergy due to the dry weather, viral infections like chickenpox, measles, mump and, bacterial skin infection like impetigo due to heat and unhygienic condition occur when summers are unforgiving.

The common cause for such ailments zero down to dehydration–loss of water, the doctors warn.

One must drink ample amounts of water everyday to avoid dehydration, according to Government Rajaji Hospital Dean A. Rathinavel.

Seconding the statement, Dr. R. Ponraj, MD General Medicine, assistant professor, Madurai Medical College, says, “It is safe to carry water bottles from home rather than consuming sub-standard quality of water from outside. It is advisable to keep sipping water every hour.”

Generally during summers, one must ensure to take upto five litres of water even if one remains indoors.

In cases of severe dehydration, one can mix Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS), with water, which is easily available at pharmacies and government hospitals, or water with a pinch of salt, says Dr. Sooriyakumar, MD, retired professor of medicine, Government Theni Medical College.