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OVERHEATING

 

Children, like adults, can suffer from the effects of heat in the warmer weather. Extreme heat may cause heat exhaustion and heatstroke, especially when it is combined with physical activity.

 

• Heat exhaustion: this is due to dehydration and is usually caused by a combination of heat, humidity and physical activity. It may develop very gradually. Your child may show symptoms such as headache, confusion and sickness and he may have cramping pains in his stomach and leg muscles. Although he will feel hot to the touch, his body temperature will not be significantly raised. 
• Heatstroke: it is a medical emergency. When heatstroke occurs, the body cannot maintain its normal temperature and so it starts to overheat. Heatstroke can be fatal if it is not treated quickly. 

It's vital to protect your baby from the effects of heat by ensuring that he wears a hat in the sunshine and has plenty of cool drinks.

 

Causes

 

The body gets rid of excess heat by sending more blood to the skin to be cooled and by increased sweating.

 

On a very hot day the body cannot lose heat easily; the blood sent to the skin to be cooled will meet warm air. 

In addition, if the atmosphere is very humid, sweat cannot evaporate well and so cannot cool the body effectively. More sweat is produced to try to bring the temperature down. If it's not replaced with fluids, this leads to dehydration. 

Heatstroke may follow from untreated heat exhaustion. It occurs when the body's 'thermostat' stops working and cooling mechanisms, such as sweating, cease. The body's temperature rises to dangerous levels. 

Symptoms

 

The symptoms and signs of simple heat exhaustion differ a little from those of the more serious condition of heatstroke.

 

Heat exhaustion:

• Pale, clammy skin
• Headache
• Thirst, nausea and vomiting
• Hot dry skin
• Rapid pulse and breathing
• Normal or only slightly raised temperature.
• Cramps in the stomach or limbs
• Usually comes on gradually 

Heatstroke:

 

• Headache and dizziness
• Confusion or strange behaviour
• Rapid pulse
• High temperature
•  Less urine
• Unconsciousness
• May happen suddenly 

When your child is at risk

 

Your child can suffer from the effects of heat in any situation where she is producing more heat than can be lost by her body.

 

At home: playing in the garden, or in the park, on a hot sunny day may cause problems unless your child has frequent drinks and rests in the shade.

 

Overseas holidays: summer holidays in the sun bring increased risks for your child, especially if he is not used to the heat.

 

In the car: even if the weather is not particularly hot, the car can become very warm in bright sunshine. Your child may overheat, particularly if she is dressed warmly and strapped in a car seat.

 

Warm clothing: many layers of warm clothing on a relatively mild day can cause overheating.

 

It is extremely important not to leave your child for any length of time in a car. Even if it doesn't feel very hot outside, a child can overheat quickly inside a vehicle.

 

First aid for heat exhaustion

 

If you believe your child is suffering from heat exhaustion, you need to cool her down and give her drinks to replace the fluids she has lost. With a few simple steps she should soon be feeling much better.

 

• Take your child to a cool place and lay her down.
• Remove her outer layers of clothing.
• Give your child tepid water or fruit juice to drink; or you can give her a rehydration solution, available from a pharmacist. Do not give her ice-cold drinks.
• Sponge your child with in the shade until she is tepid water.
• Make sure your child rests feeling better. 

If you suspect that your child is suffering from heat exhaustion, lay her down straightaway

and give her sips of tepid water or fruit juice to drink.

 

First aid for heartstroke

 

Heatstroke is a medical emergency and an ambulance should be called immediately. While you are waiting for help to arrive, take steps to cool your child down.

 

• Quickly take your child to a cool place and lay him down.
• Remove his outer clothing.
• Sponge your child down with cool water.
• If he becomes unconscious, put him   into the recovery position. 

Hospital treatment: in the rare event of heatstroke your child will need expert medical treatment. This will include an intravenous drip of a water and salt solution, which will help to replace the fluid he has lost through sweating. He may have to stay in hospital while the doctors check to see whether any of the body's organs have been affected by the high temperature.

 

Once you have called for medical help, take measures to cool your child down. Remove his outer clothing, sponge him down repeatedly with cool water and fan him.

 

Preventing overheating

 

Most cases of heat exhaustion and heatstroke are preventable if you follow a few simple guidelines.

 

• Give regular cool driks in hot weater and encourage your child to drink them even if he does not feel thirsty.  Ice, lollies, with a high water content also provide fluid and usually appeal to young children. 
• Make sure your children takes regular breather where he sits quiety in the shade to cool off.  Always keep babies in the shade. 
• Dress your child in light weight, loose fitting clothing.  Light colors reflects the sun’s heat very careful with babies, who are unable to tell you they are hot. 
• Ideally, keep your child out of the csun between midday and 4 p.m. specially if your are abroad. Always protect your child with sunscreen in warm water. 

Allow your child to play with water outside.  He will love to get wet and it will keep him cool.

 

For  More  Information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.