Rising temps mean rising risks for young ones
Higher temperatures bring increased risk of heat-related ailments, like dehydration and heat exhaustion – and that’s especially true for children.
“Children are more at risk, because they don’t sweat as much as adults and because they have a larger body surface-to-mass ratio,” said Victoria Sharaf, MD, who practices at Seaside Pediatrics in West Yarmouth. “They lose fluids more quickly and become overheated more quickly.”
Keeping children cool to limit how much they sweat is important, along with keeping them hydrated. Kids might not have the awareness to fetch a glass of water when they’re heating up, so adults need to keep fluids handy and offer them frequently, she said.
“Children under 6 months cannot drink water or any fluids besides breast milk or formula,” she said. “When they’re exposed to heat, they may take more breast milk or more formulas to stay hydrated, but that’s the only type of fluid they should be offered.”
Older kids should be offered fluids frequently.
“If they’re sweating a lot, it’s helpful to have an electrolyte-containing fluid, whether it’s water with an electrolyte tab or an electrolyte drink,” she said. “Putting fruit or even just an ice cube into water will make it more enticing.” While no one wants the kids to get too amped up on sugar, popsicles can help youngsters cool off, she said.
Indoors in Hottest Hours
If it’s really hot out, try to be indoors as much as possible between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and spend more time outdoors in the evening or the early morning, she said. “That’s particularly important if there’s a high heat index. Even if the temperature is 70 or 80 which doesn’t sound that hot, if it’s humid, the heat index can be 90, which is starting to be a little more dangerous. A heat index over 105 is a heat emergency.”
Children’s summer clothing should be loose and flowy. “Try to find fabrics that are more wicking, not like 100 percent cotton, which will hold moisture and heat close to their skin,” she said.
Newborns need extra protection, but short beach outings are still a possibility. “I took my son when he was two months old, but we only went in the evening. We had a tent for shade and wind protection, and we didn’t go for very long. You can’t apply sunscreen to really young children, and so, even if you are sitting in the shade, there’s sunlight reflecting off the water and they can get a sunburn. Go for maybe an hour or so, rather than for the whole day if you have a very young child.”
Other options for keeping kids cool include lawn sprinklers, kiddie pools and trips to the library, especially if they’re getting bored being indoors.
When to Seek Help
What symptoms indicate that kids might be heading down a dangerous path?
“The most important sign to pay attention to with infants is that they should make at least one good wet diaper, not just a tiny bit, every six to eight hours,” she said. “They can’t tell us what’s going on, so if their urine output starts to go down, that’s a concern that they’re starting to get dehydrated.
“For older children, irritability can be an early sign and then starting to vomit, complaining of dizziness or muscle aches or body aches, or seeming confused. Those would be more late warning signs. That’s probably getting closer to heat stroke rather than just heat exhaustion at that point.”
At what point should a parent call a pediatrician or go to an ER?
“If a child is out in the heat and starts saying they’re nauseous, or vomits, call the pediatrician. If a child is persistently vomiting or is confused or lethargic or is not making a good wet diaper at least once every 8 hours, those are signs to go straight to the emergency room.”
