With the oil moving closer to the coast, the beach might not be as safe as some think.

A Children’s Hospital physician is now warning parents of the affects the oil spill can have on children at the beach.

Dr. Erica Liebelt, emergency department physician and medical director of the Regional Poison Control Center at the Children’s Hospital of Alabama, is urging parents to keep a close eye on their children in and out of the water.

“I think to protect children and prevent problems, you have to prevent exposure to the oil,” Liebelt said.

According to Liebelt, the effects of oil on children are much more serious than if it comes in contact with adults, especially in children ages 1 to 12. Because children’s skin is much thinner than adults, oil is easily absorbed into children’s bodies. This thinness makes it likely that the oil will cause an irritation or a rash and, if not removed, possibly burns.

Should a child come in contact with oil, Liebelt recommends the oil be washed off immediately with soap and water; any other special cleaners are unnecessary and should not be used.

However, direct contact with the oil is not the only danger.

Exposure to the fumes of the oil can create respiratory problems, particularly in children with asthma or any other pre-existing respiratory illness.

“The fumes of the oil volatilize and are carried throughout the air,” Liebelt said. “Exposure to the fumes is more likely and more serious.”

Just brief exposure to the fumes can cause headaches, watery eyes, burning throat and difficulty in breathing. No long-term effects are known or expected with only brief inhalation exposure.

Liebelt also expressed health concerns for the oil spill’s clean-up crew, “I really worry about the cleanup workers.”

He added, “They have on-going exposure to the oil all day; these people need to be monitored very closely.”

According to a recent survey, 75 workers have already been treated in Louisiana with symptoms caused by the oil spill, several of whom were given no protection when they started working.

“They didn’t supply us with anything,” said George Jackson, a commercial fisherman, to CBS news. “Now they’re starting to disperse gloves and HazMat suits.”

The issue with the oil spill is not just the way it affects us on the beach, but also how it affects the food we eat from the ocean. Liebelt said seafood is being observed closely and tested for safety, and any seafood for sale in a market or restaurant is safe for adults and children.

The spill, however, has caused restaurants on the Gulf Coast to take a hit in business. Bud Morris, manager of The Original Oyster House restaurant in Gulf Shores, Ala., has noticed a decrease in business as the oil spill drags on.

“(The Original Oyster House) was actually up in business in May,” Morris said. “But in June we are down around 20 percent; it has really been tough in June.”

The oil spill has also caused The Original Oyster House to tell customers it’s out of certain items because the seafood supply has been greatly reduced.

“We have had problems getting oysters, among other things,” Morris said.

Although it is unclear how long the affects of the spill will last, Morris is optimistic things will return back to normal.

“I think business will return,” Morris said. “It is just going to take some time.”