Parents should pay more attention to their children when they complain about the heat. The discomfort it can cause is just the beginning. A higher level of heat exposure can result in medical issues for your children. But you can take steps to help them out. Here are some of the potential issues that you need to protect your child from during severe heat.
Heat Rash
One of the simplest heat-related conditions is the basic heat rash. The main symptom is red bumps on the skin and a prickly sensation underneath. It usually happens on hot days because of the main reason behind it. Heat rash happens when the sweat glands are blocked in some way. Normally, this would not be a problem. But if your body starts sweating to cool itself down and cannot leave through the sweat glands, the sweat gets trapped under the skin. This is what causes the irritation and rashes. Children can be vulnerable to these because young bodies don’t have fully developed sweat glands. If you want them to avoid suffering from it, give them loose clothes to have less chance of blocked glands. Frequent bathing should also help.
Dehydration
Water is an essential part of life. But many people still forget about it and end up dehydrating themselves. Dehydration is what happens when a body loses more water than it takes in. In some instances, this is noticeable, especially when someone is sick. But natural dehydration also comes when someone sweats a lot. Children’s problem is their small body means that they can only afford a small amount of water loss. A vigorous session of play can have them lose the water to be dehydrated. To avoid this, you should send them out to play only when they are fully hydrated. You also need to provide them with a handy refill nearby. Teach them to drink regularly and not to wait for the thirst to hit.
Heat Exhaustion
Like a car, a body can overheat. This can result in a rapid pulse and too much sweating. This is the result of heat exhaustion and is often caused by exposure to high temperatures and high humidity. The humidity prevents the natural sweating process from happening and cooling a body down. Children can be susceptible to this if they stay inside a hot room for a long time. This might happen if they are cooped up inside the house. If left alone, then it could lead to heatstroke. The key to prevent this is proper ventilation and good home cooling. Work with a good HVAC contractor so that your child’s room gets the cooling it needs. Another potential reason for heat exhaustion is too much playing outside in hot weather. For this, you should properly monitor them to keep them safe.
Heat Stroke
Heatstroke is the worst medical condition caused by extreme heat. This is what happens when heat exhaustion becomes worse. This is the main reason why parents should be more observant when their children are playing outside. Know the signs of heat exhaustion so that you can prevent heat strokes from happening. Take note of increased body temperature, dizziness, and even nausea. If they show these symptoms, you need to bring them to a cool place and give them something to drink. You might also apply a cold, wet cloth or sponge to their skin to cool down.
Heat Cramps
Cramps are one of the mildest things that can happen to a child because of the heat. Even still, it can be quite painful for them. The cause of muscle pain is sweating. When someone sweats a lot, the salt in their muscles leaves with the sweat. Muscles need this salt to operate properly, and they can cause cramps. The main way to prevent this is to prevent your children from sweating so much. If they are not performing any strenuous activity, you should have them drink a lot of water. Additionally, it would be best to use salt tablets to regain all the lost salt. Have a light snack every 15 minutes to help.
With climate change distorting weather patterns, summers will only get even hotter and winters colder. While many people are aware of how to take care of themselves when cold, the heat is not worrying for some people. But it can be very dangerous, especially to those who are vulnerable like the young and the elderly. Taking not of possible problems and preventing them from happening can be a big help.
