How To Alleviate The Effects Of Heat On Children
Children and babies are very sensitive to extreme temperatures, be it hot or cold. We have to be very careful with children because they can suffer heatstroke or heat stroke.
Spending an extremely hot day on a beach, a farm or a pool can turn into a tragedy if we are not careful. Children have to wear the right clothes, a hat, sunscreen and drink enough water.
When they are little they play and run around without any care. Parents or teachers have to insist in very hot weather to protect themselves from the heat. It is necessary to try that they are placed in summer in cooler and more ventilated places.
The insolation
When they have direct sun exposure on their heads they can suffer from sunstroke. Heat in the head causes vasodilation. By restricting blood volume, weakness, headache or vomiting often occurs. It can even cause loss of consciousness.
The first thing is to remove the child from the sun and refresh it so that it recovers. The sequelae are not as severe as heatstroke but you have to be careful. Sometimes they can suffer burns on the skin because they have not worn sun protection. If you do not recover in a while, you have to go to the emergency room to see a doctor.
Heat stroke
One of the most serious consequences in addition to heatstroke is heat stroke. A serious alteration of the thermal regulation. The body has this response when it loses water and salt excessively. It is usually due to excessive exposure to the sun or not being sufficiently hydrated.
Babies, children and the elderly suffer the most from heat stroke. You have to be very careful with diabetic, asthmatic or heart failure children. Symptoms are usually dizziness, nausea and vomiting, and skin that is severely irritated by sweat on the neck, chest, and armpits. Also exhaustion and weakness, dehydration or fainting.
Prevention in babies
When we realize that our baby is suffering from any of these symptoms we have to take the child to a cooler or more ventilated place. Also to an air-conditioned room where the baby can cool off. It is also very important to try to hydrate the child. We can offer the breast if it is a nursing baby and if not, water or serum.
Also, if the baby is wearing a lot of clothes, try to refresh it by removing clothes or with cool water. If the baby does not respond, go to the emergency room as soon as possible. Babies are very sensitive to extreme heat.
Tips to prevent heat in children
When children are older, from the age of two, they do not realize that they are exposed to heat. They can spend hours running or playing if we don’t tell them anything . That is why the first thing we have to do is try to put them in the shade and in ventilated and refrigerated places.
It is also important that they have water or natural juices within reach. Try to get them to drink frequently. You should also take lighter meals with fruits and vegetables. We can prepare fresh dishes such as gazpacho, pasta salads or melon with ham. For dessert, the children will be delighted if they can have an ice cream or a fresh milkshake.
Try to get children to bathe in the pool or on the beach more often. If they are at home, they should shower when they are hot. Also do not play sports or games outdoors in the central hours of the day. They have to do more relaxed activities such as board games, creative or refreshing.
Always try to keep them in cool places, whether indoors or outdoors. It is very important that they do not stay in the car for a long time and never alone. The interior of vehicles is very dangerous because the temperature rises a lot in a very short time.
Do not hesitate and as with babies, go to the emergency room if you notice that the child is suffering from heat stroke. They don’t usually know what the symptoms are. They usually hold on playing until they already notice that they are wrong. Keep an eye on the kids and take action early.
By Carmen F. Etreros.
