Knowing the signs and symptoms can help us prevent any serious consequences from overheating.
To alleviate symptoms take the child to a shady cool place and replace fluids. Remove any excess clothing and apply cool wet face cloths or run a cool bath to decrease their core body temperature.
If left untreated heat exhaustion can rapidly turn into heat stroke, a medical emergency.
Before these more serious symptoms arise your child might experience muscle cramping. Muscle cramps occur when the body starts to get dehydrated, losing salt and causing cramping. Watch for signs of this if they start rubbing their limbs, especially legs or suddenly have difficulty swimming.
The most important thing to remember for prevention is to keep cool and hydrated. Pack; not only water, but apple juice or sports drinks as well for electrolyte replacement. Remember smaller children are more susceptible to heat exhaustion so be conscious of how long you are out in the sun and monitor their fluid intake throughout the day.
Teach kids to listen to their bodies and encourage them to take plenty of breaks in the shade. If you’re experiencing hotter than normal temperatures in your area be sure to take children out earlier in the morning and later in the evening when the sun is not at its hottest.
The best way to be safe is to recognize the signs before and take measure to prevent more serious consequences of overheating from too much fun in the sun.
Guest post written by Kate – a mother of 3 who embraces the chaos of motherhood everyday. For more parenting tips and easy recipes uou can find Kate over on her blog Little Miss Kate & Co. Be sure to connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.