USA/Heat Warnings-
By Chrystal Blair, producer, Michigan News Service, a bureau of Public News Service.
Dangerous heat gripped the East Coast and parts of the Midwest over the long Fourth of July weekend. Also, hotter temperatures are expected in California and the Southwest in the coming days. Health officials are reminding residents to check on older adults. However, medical experts say another vulnerable group is often overlooked: children.
Warning Signs
Doctors warn that kids can overheat and become dehydrated much more quickly than adults. With summer sports camps and outdoor activities in full swing, parents and coaches are urged to pay close attention to the forecast.
Dr. Whitney Minnock, pediatric chief of emergency at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan, said children can become overheated quickly and may not recognize the early signs of heat illness.
“If they’re not able to talk and communicate, sometimes they can’t tell you when they’re feeling sick or ill, and they’re having fun,” Minnock said, “and then it might hit them more suddenly and more severely than it would somebody that kind of recognizes the symptoms of being overheated.”
Minnock said parents should watch for subtle signs of overheating, including unusual sleepiness, fussiness, headaches, stomach aches, or skin that appears red or irritated.
She said children should be encouraged to drink plenty of fluids before they become thirsty and take breaks indoors or in the shade every 20 to 30 minutes.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, infants and young children are among the groups most vulnerable to extreme heat and rely on adults to keep them cool, hydrated, and out of dangerous conditions.
Minnock said one of the easiest ways to protect children from extreme heat is to rethink when outdoor activities take place, “if you can plan your day so that maybe the times when you are out, it’s before 10 or 11 a.m. and after 4 or 5 p.m. when it’s starting to get a little bit cooler,” she said.
She also reminded parents never to leave a child alone in a parked vehicle, even for a few minutes. Temperatures inside a car can become dangerous quickly, even with the windows cracked.
