Carol Green, M.D.
Kelsey-Seybold Pediatric Hospitalist
St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital
With our recent weather heating up to daily temperatures of 100 degrees and higher, heat illness has become a rising concern for parents and pediatricians alike.
I have treated patients with heat illness in the emergency room and the inpatient ward at Texas Children's Hospital – thankfully not many.
During heat illness, the body’s ability to cool down is impaired and body temperature increases. Initial symptoms of heat illness include thirst, fatigue and cramps. Later headache, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, pallor, clammy skin and increased heart rate can occur.
If your child shows these symptoms, seek a cool place for them to rest, cool down them down with water spray, fan them, and call 911 for help.
Children and elderly are most vulnerable to the effects of high temperatures, but there are a few things you can do to try to prevent heat-related health problems:
- Stay inside and use air conditioning during the hottest times of the day, usually between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Reduce strenuous activity and schedule exercise for the early morning or evening during the cooler times of the day.
- If your children are involved in outdoor sports or activities, they should wear light, loosely fitted clothing and drink plenty of fluids before, during and after their activity.
- Be cautious of playground equipment, such as slides and monkey bars that can become very hot on a sunny day.
As a last word, never ever leave your child in the car on a hot day, even for a few minutes, as cars can heat up quickly like an oven.