What is the heat related illness in kids – know the signs and prevention

Summer brings the much-awaited break from school and outdoor activities like swimming, boating, biking, camping, traveling, etc for children. While kids may think of themselves as invincible, they are prone to heat-related illnesses. According to the experts from Childcare La Puente CA, heat-related illness exists on a spectrum, ranging from heat cramps to heatstroke. Below they have explained some common heat-related illnesses along with their symptoms and some preventive tips.

Heat cramps:

Heat cramps are the mildest form of heat-related illness. If your kids are having heat cramps, you may see the following symptoms:

• Painful muscle cramps
• Moist and flushed skin
• Swelling in hands and fingers
• Tiny red bumps on the skin and a prickly sensation
• Feeling irritable, dizzy or week and sweating a lot

What to do:

• Move the child to a cool place and let him take rest
• Remove excess clothing and place cool cloths on his body
• Give the child some cool glucose drink
• Stretch cramped muscles slowly and gently

Heat exhaustion:

According to Montessori Walnut CA teachers, heat exhaustion is more severe than heat cramps and happens when the body loses water and salt through excessive sweating. When a child’s body is unable to cool down, he may have the following symptoms of heat exhaustion:

• Sweating a lot
• Moist, pale or flushed skin
• Feeling very weak or tired
• Headache, nausea or loss of appetite
• Rapid or weak pulse rate
• Painful muscle cramps

What to do:

• Bring the child to a cooler place
• Remove excess clothing and make him drink cool fluids containing salt and sugar
• Put a cool, wet cloth or cool water on his body
• Call a doctor for further advice

Heatstroke:

In the opinion of Childcare La Puente CA experts, heatstroke is the most severe heat-related illness and occurs when the body becomes overwhelmed due to excessive heat and can no longer regulate temperature. In case of heat stroke children may have the following symptoms:

• High fever
• Rapid heart rate
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Stupor

What to do:

• Move the child to a cool place and call the local emergency medical service
• Place the ice pack on the armpits

Parents need to make sure that children are drinking enough water to avoid all this heat-related illness.