Don’t ignore heat-related illness among children

Dr Nawad Azam
Consultant Intensivist, Rainbow Children Hospital, Hebbal

City doctors are saying that they are seeing a worrying trend of increase in heat-related issues. In fact, summer illnesses may be tough for everyone, but for children mild signs and symptoms might go unnoticed until they become serious and life-threatening.

Dr Nawad Azam, Consultant Intensivist, Rainbow Children Hospital, Hebbal said that as a paediatrician he has come across many queries from parents this summer. “A mother called saying her 8-year-old child was fine in the morning, she spent the day outside with other kids. After returning home she complained about dizziness and vomited once. When she came to the hospital, she had a 101F temperature and was complaining of significant bodily discomfort when I checked her, I asked her to relax and continued the treatment,” he said.

He said that while infection can cause comparable symptoms, considering the high ambient temperature and humidity, we examine the likelihood of heat exhaustion. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke are all part of the heat-related disease spectrum. “By balancing heat load and heat dissipation, our bodies keep a constant temperature. Any disturbance in this equilibrium might increase body temperature and other problems. High heat and humidity inhibit skin evaporation, the tight synthetic clothing prevents cool air from circulating through the body and increases the body temperature. Dehydration also plays a major role in heat exhaustion and stroke. Children are more likely to develop heat-related disorders due to their larger body surface area and faster metabolic rate, which leads to increased heat absorption and heat generation,” he said.

“Consider taking the youngster to the emergency room. If the youngster exhibits aberrant mental activity and other indicators of heatstroke. Treatment to lower the body temperature, appropriate hydration, and monitoring for organ failure may all help to prevent mortality and morbidity,” he added.

Common symptoms
Heat exhaustion presents with temperatures lower than 104F have the common headache, vomiting, weakness, muscle cramps, high breathing rate, heart rate, but normal mental status.

If left untreated it may lead to heatstroke with altered mentation, higher temperature (more than 104F), low blood pressure, and other organ failures which can be life-threatening.

How to avoid them?

• Use loose, light colour, cotton clothing
• Encourage children to drink enough water between activities
• Indian homemade drinks like, chas, aampanna, and coconut water may be tried if the child is not taking enough water.
• Avoid too many sugary drinks.
• Avoid going out on hot humid days and encourage playing inside.

What should be done in case of symptoms?

• If heat exhaustion is suspected, bring the child to the shade/indoors with sufficient ventilation or air conditioning.
• Remove clothes, put a cold towel and fanning might help to bring down the temperature.
• If the child is alert, encourage oral water and electrolyte solution.
• Avoid paracetamol, which does not assist with temperature reduction and may cause liver damage.