Photo: SimpleImages / Moment / Getty Images
A big pile of freshly raked red, yellow, orange and brown leaves can be pretty enticing to a child who can’t wait to jump into the middle of it. The thing is, playing in the fall leaves does come with some risks parents should be aware of first.
“During the fall, many insects find shelter beneath fallen leaves, including ants, various roach species, and millipedes and centipedes,” explains Danielle Restuccia, division technical services manager at Orkin. But some creepy crawlies are merely gross, while others can be downright dangerous and she warns that ticks are the most dangerous pests lurking in leaf piles because of the diseases they can transmit, like Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
Parents should also take note of these possible health hazards:
- Allergens - If a child has an allergy to tree fruit, tree pollen or flowers, playing in that tree’s leaves could also cause an allergic reaction or aggravate asthma.
- Mold - Leaf piles may have mold spores growing in them, which can also trigger an allergy response or allergic reaction.
But all that doesn’t mean kids have to give up their cannonballs into the leaf piles, just follow these safety tips:
- Always have allergy and asthma meds on hand
- Dress kids in protective clothing, like long-sleeved shirts, long pants, closed-toe shoes and maybe gloves.
- Use tick repellent if the critters are in your area.
- Inspect the pile for bugs, insects or anything else that could cause injury.
- Try to limit their exposure to frolicking in the foliage for just a few minutes.
- Check for ticks and bites once they’re out of the leaves.
- Have kids change their clothing and take a shower or bath afterwards.
- Piles that sit out in the yard for a long time may attract snakes, so stick to fresh leaf piles for jumping.
Check out the full article at Yahoo