How to Protect Your Baby from Heatstroke
New mothers especially tend to worry about their baby being too cold or overheating on hot days. During your babies first year of life they are very susceptible to heatstroke. This is because their body temperatures regulatory system is not yet able to effectively cool their bodies. The result is that they overheat. This can be very dangerous. If your baby does have a heatstroke it will happened very suddenly. In some cases it can even be fatal. When you are out with your baby on a hot day there are several signs that you will want to watch out for. If you begin to notice that your babies skin is very hot and clammy you will want to take them inside immediately. Here are a few other symptoms that you will want to watch out for; high fever, diarrhea, lethargy, convulsions and temporary loss of consciousness. If you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above you will want to immediately take them to the emergency room to get them medical attention. But what can you do to prevent your child from experiencing any of these problems in the first place?
Firs to fall you should never leave your infant in a parked car in how weather. Even if the window is cracked open. A car interior temperature can rise well over one hundred degrees in very hot weather. This can happen within fifteen minutes. Avoid bundling your baby up with blankets when it is hot or when they have a high fever. A baby who has a fever needs to be cooled down. It is never a good idea to allow them to try and sweat the fever out. This is an old wives tale that can be very dangerous to your baby. When it is hot out make sure that your baby is dressed in very light clothing. You will also want to try and avoid leaving them in their carrier for an extended period of time. A baby carrier can add to overheating your baby. In addition you should also make sure that you carry a small cooler filled with cold milk or water for your baby. When they are hot and sweating they will need to drink plenty of extra fluids to replace what they lose in hot weather. Finally you will want to try your best and avoid spending too much time outside on hot and humid days. Your baby should not be out for more than thirty minutes, especially on very hot days.
In the past many parents were told that the sun is very good and healthy for your baby. But even on days when it is not very humid, too much time in the sun can cause your baby to quickly become overheated. This is of course in addition to the other problems that the sun can cause to your babies skin. The bottom line to avoid your baby having a heat stroke is to make sure when you are out of the house on these hot days you take the necessary precautions that are listed above. And remember if you are outdoors keep track of the time. You never want to keep your baby out for too long, even if they are not showing any symptoms of overheating. Remember it is always better to err on the side of safety.
