Heat Reactions: Prevention
There are three main reactions a child might have to a hot
environment: heatstroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps.
All heat reactions are caused by an excessive loss of water
through sweating. To prevent your child from having a heat
reaction, follow these suggestions:
- Make sure your child drinks a lot of cool water whenever
she is working or exercising in a hot environment. Water
is ideal for replacing lost sweat. Very little salt is
lost in sweat. Special glucose-electrolyte solutions
such as Gatorade offer no advantage over water unless
your child has been exercising for over an hour.
- Have your child take 5-minute water breaks every
25 minutes in the shade. Teens should drink 8 ounces
every 30 minutes. Encourage your child to drink
water even if he is not thirsty. He may not feel thirsty
until he is almost dehydrated.
- Don't give your child salt tablets. They are not
necessary. They also slow down stomach emptying and
delay the absorption of water, which the body badly
needs.
- Dress your child in a single layer of light-colored,
lightweight clothing. Your child should change clothes
if they become wet with perspiration.
- Athletic coaches recommend that exercise sessions be
shortened and less vigorous if the air temperature is
over 82 degrees F (28 degrees C), especially if the
humidity is high.
- Limit the amount of time your child spends in a hot tub
to 15 minutes. Encourage her to have a friend with her
in case either of them should have a heat reaction.
Children who have fevers or have just exercised
vigorously should not go into hot tubs or saunas. Their
bodies need to release heat instead of getting hotter.
- Protect infants with fevers from heat stroke by not
bundling them in blankets or too much clothing.
Written by B.D. Schmitt, M.D., author of "Your Child's Health," Bantam Books.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2006 McKesson Corporation and/or one of its subsidiaries. All Rights Reserved.