To prevent children from overheating in summer – prevention and first aid

Summer is here and with it the heat to beat. How to do to survive such weather with children in kindergarten in good health? And how to cope with an overheated children’s body?

Overheating of the human body can be caused by prolonged exposure to the sun or a hot environment, insufficient drinking and increased physical activity. To help children in your classroom avoid the arc, take the following precaution.

Prevention of overheating

• Fluids

  Water is essential. But in the heat of the game, children usually don’t remember it at all. So keep an eye on them during hot summer days and remind them often to go and drink. Place a jug or drink tray with a tap in an accessible place so that everyone can refill at any time. If you have a bed of herbs or fruit in the school garden, prepare flavored water together. Play restaurant or water fountain with miraculous living water.

• Clothing and sun protection

  Some children may struggle with changing their seasonal wardrobe. Talk in class about weather and dressing. In the summer heat, light, airy clothes in bright colors are useful. Headgear is essential when outdoors. Agree with parents how to do this with sunscreen. If the lubrication is left up to you, don’t forget your nose, ears and toenails. When the kids put their heads up, try to make a joke of it. Like saying that the kids have grown an elephant trunk for a nose and that it needs to be lubricated to make it trumpet nicely.

• Staying in the shade

  Between 11am and 3pm, the sun’s rays are at their most intense. So move your kids into the shade at this time to protect yourself from harmful UV rays. If you do not have mature trees in the school garden, provide shade with parasols and sun sails. Also, to be on the safe side, regularly check outdoor areas and play equipment to make sure they don’t get too hot in the sun.

• Water games

  Avoid vigorous exercise on hot days. Choose instead for water games, which children love and find enjoyable to cool down. Fill water balloons. Set up a water sensory station.
  Extend the hose and connect the garden sprinkler to it.

Everything you need to know about sensory boxes and stations can be found in the article
Why involve all your senses in children’s games.

Symptoms of overheating

Sometimes, even with the best efforts, overheating cannot be prevented. Then it does not matter if the child has suffered from heatstroke (overheating in the sun) or sunstroke (general overheating of the body in a hot environment).

Both conditions manifest themselves more or less similarly:

• fatigue and malaise,
• dry, flushed skin,
• headache, dizziness, disorientation,
• nausea to vomiting,
• – increased temperature or fever.

First aid for overheating

If you observe one or more signs of overheating in your child, don’t wait to take action.

For heatstroke and heatstroke, the same first aid applies:

• Move the child to the shade, or better, to a cool and ventilated room.
• Cool the child with a draft, cold compresses or a lukewarm shower.
• Give the child fluids. Mineral water and lightly sweetened drinks are preferable. Use a rehydration solution if available.
• Treat your child’s sunburn with products designed for this purpose.
• Monitor the child’s condition. If it does not improve or worsens, call 155.

Even in the hot summer, you can have a wonderful time at daycare.
The key is shade and water. Lots of water. To drink and to play.
If that’s not enough and someone does get sick from overheating, you’ll be able to handle it now.

29. 6. 2023 | Martina Zatloukalová