How to prevent the kids from overheating when playing outside this summer
Posted July 11, 2014 7:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – You’ll probably want your children playing outside this weekend, enjoying the summer weather. But you have to be careful they don’t get too much of a good thing.
Temperatures are expected to hit 30 degrees this weekend. This type of heat can come with some potentially serious consequences.
Medical Officer Meena Dewar with Vancouver Coastal Health says children are at a greater risk for getting sick from the heat. She tells us they can’t always judge they are becoming overheated. That’s why parents need to be proactive to protect their kids.
Dewar suggests finding play areas with shaded spots and going to the pool or beach to keep cool. She adds you need to make sure the kids are getting a lot of fluids.
“Water every hour and sometimes kids don’t want to drink water, so they can flavour it with a bit of fruit juice… Watermelon, cucumber… Fruits and vegetables that contain a lot of water go a long way towards keeping kids hydrated as well.”
Dewar tells us there are signs to look out for that may mean your child has become ill.
“One of the best ways to tell that they are not getting dehydrated is that they are still peeing as they normally would and their urine is not getting a dark colour,” she explains.
Other signs to watch for are: crankiness, headaches, vomiting, and diarrhea.
