Last time, we talked about some of the problems we see during the summer months: ticks, poison ivy, and sun burns. As promised, today we're going to continue this theme, considering additional problems that afflict us during this season.

First, let's take a look at food poisoning. This may not sound very exciting, until you have it yourself. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches - this is something we want to avoid if at all possible. Sometimes we can't. But some common sense and information will go a long way here.

Here's an important question: How long can food be safely left out at room temperature? The generally accepted answer is 2 hours. And that's at room temperature. For food left outside, such as during a picnic, the safe interval is much shorter. This is especially true for frequent picnic foods: chicken salad, ham and tuna salad, and potato salad. There are a variety of bugs that cause this problem, including Salmonella, E. Coli, Staph, Hepatitis A, Norovirus, and Listeria. As always, the key here is prevention. Aside from keeping food properly refrigerated, it's also important to keep plates and utensils clean. And it's important not to allow any cross contamination. This occurs when we use the same container before and after preparation (such as grilling). Just common sense.

But when do you need medical attention should you contract a case of food poisoning? As in most circumstances, the very young and the very old are the most vulnerable, as well as those of us with any impairment of our immune systems. Severe or persistent vomiting and diarrhea are reasons for concern, as well as a temperature above 101.4. Better safe than sorry, so seek medical attention if any of these things develop.

Another problem we frequently encounter has to do with heat stress. This should be simple and easily avoided, right? Just make sure you drink plenty of fluids and you should be fine. Well, that's not always the case.

Heat stress, from mild symptoms to full-blown heat stroke, is an insidious process. It slips up on people. And it can affect any of us, even the most well-conditioned and prepared.

Hot and humid days pose the greatest risk, with the earliest symptoms being a mild thirst. Most of us will take the time to drink fluids and can usually prevent things from worsening. But if we get behind in our hydration status, the next things we begin to feel are mild muscle cramps, vague aches and pains, headache, and a generally unsettled feeling. That's the time to head for a chair in the shade with some ice water.

If we can't or don't do that, these symptoms are rapidly followed by increasing confusion, weakness, and worst of all, a lack of sweating. That all spells trouble, and can quickly lead to cardiovascular collapse, seizures, and even death. Sounds like a lot of fun. But it is easily preventable; once again, with a little common sense. And remember - beer is not considered a "re-hydrating solution". In this setting, it can actually make things worse.

Once again, when do you need to seek medical attention? If you or a loved one begins to experience any of these symptoms, it is advisable to get some help. Get out of the heat, start drinking some fluids, and see your doctor. This is especially true for our young and our old, and for people with poor cardiovascular reserve.

Lastly, there are some common viruses that generally manifest themselves during the summer months. Polio used to be the big one we worried about, but we don't see that anymore. We do see viruses that cause mild upper respiratory infections and those that can cause more significant infections, such as meningitis, encephalitis, and infections of the heart muscle. And don't forget the croup. We usually think about this as being a winter-time problem, but we usually see a spike in this airway infection during the summer months. If a young child develops a barky cough and difficulty breathing, they should probably be evaluated. Once again, better safe than sorry.

So there you have go - some more things to worry about. Oh, and then there're spiders and snakes, wasps and bees, fire ants and mosquitoes...