How to Keep Your Kids Cool From the Summer Heat

Overview

Summer is the perfect season for spending all day outside due to the pleasant weather and abundance of activities.

Most children are eager to enjoy the freedom that summertime activities afford. Parents love watching their children exercise while playing outside. However, keeping children cool in the summer when the temperature rises can be challenging. Human health can be negatively affected by high temperatures indirectly. 

We will discuss why we should keep ourselves and our children cool against the summer heat. In addition, we will discuss various ways to protect and keep our children cool in hot weather. We will also go through some symptoms that might require urgent care.

Why should we keep ourselves and our children cool in summer?

Even though summer is a great time to participate in many fun activities, hot weather can occasionally jeopardize us. High temperatures are harmful to the body when exposed for an extended period. An excessive amount of heat can cause damage to the brain as well as other organs. When the temperatures outside are high, it is essential to stay cool.

A natural cooling system exists throughout the body. Sweating is essential for cooling off when hot weather or exertion raises the body temperature. Once sweating isn't enough to keep you cool, you're at risk of hyperthermia, a heat-related illness. The most severe condition of hyperthermia is Heatstroke. 

Children can get sick immediately from extreme and excessive heat in several ways. It can all result from dehydration and other heat-related Illnesses in children, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke. The increased temperature may cause discomfort for children and adults who care for them. Therefore, it makes perfect sense to have ways to keep cool in the heat.

How to Keep Your Kids Cool From the Summer Heat

Wear summer-appropriate clothing 

So, how do you stay cool in the heat? Let your children wear clothes made of natural materials, such as a white cotton or linen blouse with a relaxed fit. Since darker-colored materials absorb more heat than lighter ones, it is best to avoid wearing dark colors and stick to brighter ones when possible.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking plain water and sports drinks containing the ideal proportions of salts, carbohydrates, and electrolytes is best during summer. Ensure that children get enough to drink by giving them beverages regularly. Have them bring their water bottle and track their fluid intake.

Keeping your children well-hydrated is one of the most effective methods to combat the heat. In the searing heat of summer, liquids are an absolute necessity. However, consuming cold beverages while it is hot might cause cramping in the stomach. We agree that having some fluids rather than none at all is preferable. 

How to keep cool in summer through helpful activities

There are other fun ways to cool down on a hot day! Bring out the pool floats and water guns. Utilize everything at your disposal to beat the heat during summer, which is essential if you plan to be outside between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Using anything from water slides, kiddie pools, and inflatable water slides is possible. 

The perfect summer snacks for beating the heat

You can keep your children hydrated with cold snacks and treats. Prepare ice cubes or popsicle molds filled with a liquid mixture (such as juice or water from coconut) and fruit. Create smoothies by blending fruits and juices. Or you may freeze fruits, and your children can eat them as snacks; for example, grapes or chunks of fruit like mango, banana, watermelon, pineapple, or strawberries that have been frozen taste delicious.

Keep fans on hand

Adorable handheld fans powered by batteries will provide the much-needed breeze and keep your children delighted for a while. In addition, these fans are portable and convenient, so you can take them with you when you and your children go out during summer.

Wear a hat

During hot weather, it is ideal that your child must wear a hat. Consider using an elasticized or Velcro strap tucked under their chin to secure it. Nevertheless, the perfect hat has a wide brim and a neck-covering flap.

When it's hot, move indoors.

Most adults realize how a hot and humid day might affect them, but children don't think about it. If the day's high temperatures put your children at risk for heat exhaustion, encourage them to stay indoors. Depending on their age, you can engage children in crafts, games, or other activities. Parents should know how to keep cool in hot weather when temperatures rise.

Never leave children in a car.

A hot car can be hazardous. Each year, the media reports details of the deaths of children left in hot vehicles. This tragedy can occur to anyone. Parents can forget that they have a child in the car occasionally, mainly if there has been a shift in the family's usual routine. Some people avoid waking a sleeping child and plan to enter and exit a store quickly. 

Seek for Help

Heat cramps and Heat stroke can have the following symptoms, as follows:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Blurry vision
• Heavy Sweating
• Seizures
• Increased body temperature
• Fast Breathing
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Muscle cramps

Finding a fast, convenient doctor after hours, on weekends, or on holidays is hard. Urgent care helps. Urgent Care Visits are available at AR Texas Pediatrics. When your child requires immediate medical assistance, we can dispatch a staff member to your home. Please call us at  281-484-7619.