PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — While this weather is miserable for most adults, the heat emergency in the Philadelphia region is especially dangerous for high-risk groups, like kids and the elderly.
For kids, summer fun is playing outside, but during a heat emergency, that can be dangerous.
“It can lead kids to have problems with dehydration or sometimes something more significant, like heat exhaustion,” said Dr. Jonathan Miller, a pediatrician with Nemours Children’s Health.
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While many kids have a pretty high tolerance for the heat, doctors say they can get into trouble if they’re outside too long without being adequately hydrated.
Dr. Miller said keeping kids hydrated is critical, and not just when they’re outside.
“Make sure they go outside already hydrated and take frequent breaks — maybe every 15 – 20 minutes,” Dr. Miller recommends.
However, it can be hard to keep track of how much water your kids are drinking when they’re outdoors having fun.
“Honestly, the same thing we always do — just make sure we always have a water bottle with us,” said Ashley Barkley, who is a parent.
“He plays a lot of sports, so tons of Gatorade. He’s used to it,” added Ashley Barkley, who is an aunt.
Doctors said it’s important to limit how much time kids are outside during extreme heat and pay attention to what they wear.
“Make sure to dress your kids in loose clothing. One layer and something light, not dark,” Dr. Miller said.
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Doctors said parents and caregivers should watch out for signs of heat exhaustion, which can include being tired, dizzy or nauseous.
“For small kids, sometimes it irritability, so if you have a baby [or] toddler getting irritable, that can also be a sign of early heat exhaustion,” Dr. Miller said. “So, you want to get them inside into the cool and start hydrating them.”
Doctors said with this heat emergency, it’s a good idea to find inside activities for kids as much as possible.
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