KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – As extreme temperatures roll in to bake the Midwest, health officials are sounding the alarm. Dave Seastrom with Children’s Mercy says severe heat is more dangerous for children than it is for adults.
“Children are really bad at regulating their own heat and they rely on us to take care of them and know what’s best for them” Seastrom said.
When temperatures exceed 90 degrees, children are at great risk for heat-related illnesses and injuries.
“There three things we typically think about with heat related injuries—heat cramps, heat strokes, and heat exhaustion.” Seastrom said. “The symptoms for all of those are fairly similar, muscle cramps, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and confusion in the late stages.”
Heat stroke is the most serious heat-related illness.
According to the National Safety Council, about 38 children under the age of 15 die each year from heat stroke after being left in a hot car.
“We always tell people to leave something in your backseat like a purse, so you have to get it when you arrive at your destination. Or, set an alert or a reminder on your phone,” Seastrom said.
If your child starts to develop any symptoms of a heat stroke or exhaustion, Seastrom encourages people to remove them from the hot environment immediately.
“If they start to get confused or it becomes more significant,” Seastrom said, “Getting them to some place that can care for them or calling 911 is really important.”
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