Children may be more susceptible to heat. Here’s how to protect them this summer

Extreme heat is becoming more common in Australia and all over the world and apart from making us feel uncomfortable, it might be possible harm our health. For example, exposure to extreme heat can exacerbate existing medical conditions or cause problems such as heat stroke.

Due to a combination of physiology and behavior, children are potentially more susceptible to solemn heat-related illnesses such as heat stroke or heat exhaustion.

But these aren’t the only heat-related health problems children can experience on a very balmy day. IN new studywe looked at emergency department visits and unplanned hospital admissions among children in Up-to-date South Wales on heatwave days.

We have seen a significant raise in the number of children going to hospital compared to the milder days – with a range of health problems.

Why are children more exposed to heat?

Sweating is the main way we lose heat from the body and nippy down.

Children have a higher ratio of skin surface area to body weight, which can promote sweating – they can lose more heat through evaporation for a given body weight. However, this also means that children can lose fluids and electrolytes more quickly through sweating, theoretically increasing their amount prone to dehydration.

Meanwhile, younger children, especially infants, may not sweat as much as older children and adults. This means they can’t nippy themselves as effectively.

Overall, children also engage more often outdoor physical activitywhich may make them more vulnerable to very high temperatures.

Moreover, children may be less sensitive to their body’s signals that they are overheating, such as excessive sweating or skin redness. Therefore, they may not stop and nippy down when they need to. Youthful children especially may not recognize early signs of heat stress or be unable to express discomfort.

Our study

We wanted to investigate children’s exposure to extreme heat stress and the associated risks to their health.

We measured extreme heat as “heatwave days” – at least two consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures above the 95th percentile for the corresponding area on the Universal Thermal Climate Index. Depending on the area, it ranged from 27°C to 45°C.

We assessed health outcomes by analyzing ED visits and unplanned hospital admissions among children aged 0–18 years in the state of Up-to-date South Wales from 2000 to 2020. In total, there were approximately 8.2 million ED visits and 1.4 million hospital admissions.

We found that hospital admissions for heat-related illness were 104% more common on heatwave days compared to non-heatwave days, and emergency department visits were 78% more likely. Heat-related illnesses cover a spectrum of disorders, from minor illnesses such as dehydration to life-threatening conditions such as heat stroke.

But heat-related illnesses weren’t the only condition that increased on heatwave days. There has also been an raise in pediatric infections, particularly infectious enteritis possibly related to food poisoning (6% for ED visits and 17% for hospital admissions), ear infections (30% for ED visits and 3 % in the case of hospital admissions) and skin and pliable tissue infections (an raise of 6% in the case of ED visits and 4% in the case of hospital admissions).

We know that many infectious diseases are seasonal. Some, like the flu, peak in winter. However, heat and humidity raise the risk some infections caused by bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens.

For example, it could be warmer weather and more humidity increase survival bacteria, e.g Salmonellain food, which increases the risk of food poisoning.

Scorching weather may also raise the risk ear infections. Children may be more vulnerable in balmy weather because they often swim or play at the beach or pool. Water can remain in the ear after swimming, and the saturated environment in the ear canal can cause the growth of pathogens that lead to ear infections.

Which children are the most vulnerable?

During heat waves, we found that infants under one year of age had an increased risk of all-cause ED visits and hospital admissions compared to older children. This is not surprising because children cannot effectively regulate their body temperature and are dependent on caregivers to keep them at an appropriate temperature.

Our study also found that children in the most disadvantaged areas were more susceptible to heat-related illnesses on days when heatwaves occurred. Although we don’t know exactly why, we hypothesized that families in poorer areas might have restricted access to air conditioning and would be more likely to live in warmer districts.

Keeping children placid: tips for parents

Youthful children’s greatest exposure to heat on balmy days usually occurs when they are taken outdoors in strollers. To protect their children from direct sunlight, parents often instinctively cover the stroller with a cloth, such as muslin.

However, recent study from our group showed that this actually raises the temperature inside the stroller by as much as 3-4˚C higher than outside.

However, if we moisten the cloth with water and employ a compact fan to circulate air close to the baby, the temperature inside the stroller may be 4-5˚C lower than outside. Wetting the cloth every 15–20 minutes (e.g. with a spray bottle) maintains the cooling effect.

When toddlers are not in a stroller, and for older children too, there are a few things to consider to keep them nippy and safe and sound.

Remember that temperatures reported in weather forecasts are measured in the shade, and temperatures in the sun can reach as high as 15˚C higher. That’s why it’s so significant to stick to the shade as much as possible.

Exercise produces heat in the body, so it should be shortened or postponed to cooler times of the day.

Sunscreen and hats are significant when outdoors, but neither is particularly effective at keeping you nippy. It may be helpful to sprinkle water on your baby’s skin – not just the face, but the arms, legs and even torso if possible. Wetting the hats is another idea.

Adequate hydration is also necessary on balmy days. Regular drinking breaks are significant, including drinking water before, during and after physical activity. Offering food with high water content such as watermelon and orange can also aid with hydration.