Middle Georgia nurse shares summer heat safety tips for children

GA’S WARNER ROBINS (WMGT/41NBC) Kids in Middle Georgia are having a great time outside now that summer break has begun, but health authorities advise that if necessary precautions are not taken, the summer heat may rapidly turn dangerous.

According to Christina Sikes, nurse manager for the Houston County Health Department, children can avoid overheating by playing outside in the morning and after dinner. Additionally, she suggests that children wear clothing made of natural materials.

Wearing shorts, t-shirts, tank tops, or bathing suits is fine, but you should also be mindful of sun exposure, so if their skin is visible, make sure they’re wearing sunscreen, Sikes advised.

According to Sikes, heat exhaustion, which occurs when the body’s capacity to cool itself is exhausted, affects a lot of kids.

“I’m getting really tired, sweating a lot, or not sweating at all,” she stated. nausea, headaches, mental disturbances, vomiting, or the transition from thirst to lack of thirst. Additionally, feeling very exhausted and ill are all indicators that you should take immediate action.

She gave some advice on how to keep your kids hydrated and safe.

“Water,” she said. Gatorades or items containing electrolytes can be used in place of some of them. However, in general, electrolytes will be taken care of by a nutritious diet. A child should drink between 6 and 8 ounces of water every hour, but in general, you should stay between 8 and 48 ounces.

Sikes also recommends parents to start the car to cool it down before putting their kids in it and to avoid leaving kids in cars.

Since kids are particularly vulnerable to heat, it’s crucial to prepare how they’ll stay cool throughout the day, but the most crucial step is to make sure they’re not in those automobiles, she added.

In order to protect parents from sunburns, heat strokes, and dehydration, Sikes notes the CDC website features a map that shows where the heat will be at its maximum.