Dehydration during periods of
intense heat is a serious concern for all ages. Many adults head straight for
the comfort of air-conditioned environments to avoid the heat, but active
children may choose to remain outdoors--increasing their risk of heat-related
illness such as dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
'We see kids like this in our
emergency department,' Dr. George L. Foltin, director of the Pediatric Emergency
Service at Bellevue Hospital in New York City, said in an interview. These
children are often 'stuck in a hot environment' and thus placed at risk for
dehydration.
Younger children in
particular are very susceptible to the heat because infants and toddlers are
'too young to ask for what they need and cannot control their environment,'
Foltin explained. Also, very active, older children who are 'really into their
playing' are at risk, since they may not stop their activity to drink fluids.
While continuing their play, they may often be placing themselves at risk for
overexposure to the heat.
'You have to be careful
because your water losses are already high many times before you actually have
any symptoms (of dehydration),' registered dietitian Kathy Hubbert, from the
University of Alabama at Birmingham, told Reuters Health. Symptoms of
dehydration include dizziness, irritability, flushed cheeks, stomach cramps, leg
cramps or fainting, said Foltin. If any of these symptoms occur, the child
should be placed in a cool environment, such as an air-conditioned room, and
should be given cool liquids to drink, he advised.
'Heat-induced illness is
preventable,' according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one of three
organizations that have released policy statements on dehydration. The American
College of Emergency Physicians and the National Athletic Trainers' Association
have also issued warnings on the subject.
To avoid dehydration,
children and adults should drink plenty of fluids, 'before, during, and after
exercising,' Foltin recommended. Water is often the most accessible drink, but
'sports fluids have been shown effective as well,' he stated. When given a
choice, children are more likely to choose sports drinks, which contain a
balance of salt and carbohydrates, over water, Foltin explained. On the other
hand, caffeinated drinks and alcohol, which dehydrate the body, should be
avoided.
'The purpose of drinking
fluids is multi-fold,' Hubbert stated. 'We perspire upon exertion to maintain
our core internal temperature,' she explained. Therefore we need more water in
hot weather to help maintain core internal temperatures, she said. 'Also, in
high humidity, our ability to perspire is reduced so maintaining internal temp
is more important,' Hubbert added.
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Summer heat puts children at risk for dehydration
