The San Joaquin Valley is known for hot summers, and time spent outside means plenty of injuries for your children. The geography and weather certainly play roles in summer vacation injuries, but other factors, such as insects, animals, and a child’s inquisitive nature, also increase the chance of an injury.
With so much to do and see, your family will likely be outside exploring the mountains, seeking relief from triple-digit temperatures at area pools and lakes, or playing at parks and playgrounds. From Millerton Lake’s expansive shoreline to the basketball courts and playground equipment at Oso de Oro Park, your kids have ample opportunities for social activities.
You want your child to have a fantastic summer, and we hope it is the best summer possible. Premium Urgent Care feels you should focus on fun while keeping common injuries and how to respond to them in the back of your mind. Odds are your child will breeze through the summer, but if something does happen, you’ll know what to do and where to go.
Animal or Insect Bites/Stings
No one wants their child to be bitten or stung by an animal or insect, but it’s always a possibility. A 15-year California study found that children under 10 have the highest incidence of dog bites. In 2025, a Fresno boy was attacked by a neighborhood dog after it broke free of its chain. Animals are unpredictable.
Fresno also has ticks that can spread disease, like spotted fever, kissing bugs, and stinging insects like bees, hornets, and wasps that can all cause extreme discomfort. Wearing long sleeves and pants helps prevent some bites. Knowing what to do is more important.
If your child is bitten by a dog, cat, or other animal, seek medical attention. Rabies is a possibility, and rabies shots may be necessary if the animal’s vaccination history is uncertain. The bacteria in an animal’s mouth can also cause infection, so a bite needs to be properly cleaned and dressed.
Treat stings with a paste of baking soda and water. If your child is allergic, make sure you seek medical attention and use an EpiPen if required.
Rattlesnakes are found in Fresno and bite people every year. When hiking, leather hiking boots help protect the ankles. If your child is bitten, seek immediate medical care.
Burns
Sunburn is one of the most common childhood burns. It’s not ideal as it increases the risk of skin cancer later in life. Make sure your child wears UV-protective clothing or applies a mineral-based sunscreen every two hours or after getting out of water. SPF 30 or higher is recommended.
If it’s too late, aloe vera gel helps ease the discomfort. For blistering burns, go to urgent care for a doctor to treat the severe sunburn.
Another childhood injury involves burns at a campfire or backyard fire pit. Even with supervision, a child may let a marshmallow catch fire and burn their hand or fingers when pulling the sticky, melted marshmallow off. Burn cream or aloe helps with the pain. Keep the burn bandaged.
Severe burns from falling onto hot coals or getting too close and having clothing catch fire need to be treated by a doctor. A general rule is to have any blistering burn assessed, cleaned, and dressed by a medical professional.
Cuts and Scrapes
Falling from a bike, tripping when running, or tripping over a tree root and skinning a knee or elbow is an incredibly common childhood injury. Cleaning the scrape of all dirt and tiny pebbles is important. Some antibiotic ointment and a bandage will keep it clean while it heals.
Deeper cuts need medical attention. If you’ve applied pressure for 10 minutes and the cut is still bleeding, go to urgent care. If you can see bone or muscle, stitches are necessary.
Head Injuries
A blow to the head when falling off a trampoline, from a tree, or while crashing a bike or scooter can be a serious injury. Even if your child doesn’t pass out, there’s a risk of a concussion.
Concussions are not something to take lightly. Sometimes the signs of more significant trauma don’t appear for several hours. Make sure your child goes to a doctor to be checked out after hitting their head or taking a blow to the head from things like baseball bats or footballs.
Heat-Related Illnesses
Dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are three very different heat-related illnesses. When it’s hot, make sure your child stays hydrated. Have your child take water breaks every hour or so to have more to drink. Fruits like strawberries, watermelon, and grapes have a high water content and help with hydration.
Heat exhaustion occurs when a person loses excessive amounts of water and sodium through sweat. The body’s core temperature increases to 100℉ to 104℉. If this happens, it’s time to go inside and sit in air conditioning or in front of a fan.
Heat stroke is dangerous. The core temperature climbs over 104℉. The heart rate increases, and urgent medical care is essential. Your child’s temperature needs to be lowered, and fluids must be replenished.
Strains, Sprains, and Fractures
Strains, sprains, and fractures happen for so many reasons. Your child might hit loose gravel while riding a bike and fall on a shoulder, leading to a broken bone. While running in the backyard, your child might hit a hole and twist an ankle, causing a sprain. A child might strain a muscle while playing on playground equipment.
Our urgent care doctors can take X-rays, determine if it’s a strain, sprain, or fracture, and establish a treatment plan. If a splint or cast is necessary, or the break is severe and requires orthopedic care, you’ll receive the appropriate referral for your child.
Water-Related Injuries
When it’s hot, people flock to pools, beaches, and rivers. You may have a slip-and-slide, sprinkler, or pool set up in your backyard. It’s possible to get injured in several ways while cooling off.
- Diving into shallow water and injuring the head, neck, or spine.
- Fish hooks stuck in the skin.
- Getting a cut on broken glass, a rock, or a hidden object under the water.
- Slipping on wet grass, pavement, or vinyl and fracturing a bone.
- Staying in cold water for too long can cause a dangerous drop in body temperature.
- Water trapped in the ear canal can lead to an ear infection known as swimmer’s ear.
You might be able to clean a small cut or remove a non-barbed fishhook, but a doctor should provide care for any of the other water-related injuries.
When to Go to Urgent Care
Many minor childhood injuries are easily treated at home. A scrape is easy to wash clean with a wound wash solution and dress with a bandage and antibacterial ointment. Minor burns feel better with cool washcloths and aloe. Many bumps and bruises benefit from an ice pack wrapped in a hand towel.
Go to urgent care when you’re not 100% certain you can treat it yourself, or when symptoms seem to be severe, such as non-stop bleeding or a head injury with temporary loss of consciousness. It’s better to walk in, have a doctor examine your child, and learn that no medical care is needed than to risk your child’s safety.
Premium Urgent Care is here for your family. With weekend hours and evening hours, we offer walk-in care when you need it most.