Summer Safety: Avoid dehydration during Heat Waves

It is an extremely hot summer this year. Many US  and Canadian cities are experiencing record breaking temperatures of more than 100  degrees Fahrenheit. Some cities did not have access to power limiting access to air conditioning and increasing the risks of dehydration. These extreme summer conditions can be harmful to everyone but young children are more vulnerable than the others. Their safety is more at risk. How can we insure they are safe during these extreme hot conditions.  Check out these summer safety tips during hot weather to avoid dehydration.

Summer Safety tips for young children to avoid dehydration

  • Children need to drink more often  than usual. If you are breastfeeding, it is a good idea to breastfeed more often. Don’t forget to drink yourself. If your baby is bottle fed, consider giving water between bottles. This is one of the best ways to avoid dehydration and make sure their safety during extreme summer conditions.
  • Sun is at its extreme intensity between 10 am and 3 pm. Avoid going to the park or the beach during these time slots. You can go over to the library or to the mall to cool off a bit!
  • A hat and a SPF 30 sunscreen are a must during your outings! They will protect your children from the sun. Consider applying sunscreen every 2 hours! For babies under 6 months, check with your pediatrician if you can use the sunscreen. My son was born in June. My pediatrician did not recommend any sunscreen. He recommended a hat and a full covered body when we went outside.
  • When my son was a baby, we did not have an air conditioning, I used to clean his room, shut the shades and hang a wet towel on the chair before he goes to bed at night. Your baby will sleep peacefully !
  • You can consider adding a fan. It is not recommended to have it directed at your child. If their room is too hot, consider switching them to the coolest place in the house. Usually basements are cooler. I remember we laid mattress in the basements during the summer and we all slept their!
  • If you ran out of electricity because of the heat wave, consider going to the emergency center. They will give you water bottles. You will find support and help from your communities.

 

What are the signs of dehydration:

To make sure you are safe during the summer and avoid dehydration, you need to consider the above tips. You need also to recognize the signs of dehydration.

  • Change diaper less than often. Usually if the child wets the diaper less than 4 times during 24 hours
  • Urine is dark
  • If you notice any circles under the eyes
  • If the mouth, skin are dry.
  • Vomiting, diarrhea.
  • High temperature
  • Sleepy and hard to awaken.

If you notice one or more of the above signs, call 911 or go to your local hospital as soon as possible. Summer is about outdoor activities, water and fun. We need to make sure that kids and young children are safe during this season.

 

photo source: iStock

 

 

 

3 thoughts on “Summer Safety: Avoid dehydration during Heat Waves”

  1. Thanks for the reminder! We live in Seattle, so the warmer weather has just reached us this past week. I was just noticing last night that our 2 year old was having pretty small diapers and not as often as normal. I think today we are going to focus on drinking more water and juice!

  2. Great article! It is so important to keep kids hydrated during the hot months, but it can be difficult to tell when they are needing more to drink when they’re too little to really tell you.

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