Sunstroke in children is most often manifested by high body temperature, even up to 42 degrees Celsius. This is a life-threatening condition, because young children do not have a fully developed thermoregulatory mechanism, they do not sweat and do not dissipate heat as effectively as adults. Find out what the symptoms of a child from a sunstroke are, what first aid should look like and how to treat a child's heat stroke.
Heat stroke in children , also called heat palsy, is the result of overheating of the body, that is, an excessive inflow of heat from the outside to the child's body while making it difficult to release its excess to the environment. A type of heat stroke is sunstroke, which is overheating of the body as a result of strong sunlight. Sunstroke occurs in large, direct sunlight - mainly in the head and neck. Local exposure to sunlight on the scalp leads to congestion in the meninges and the brain.
The risk of this type of stroke applies in particular to children, because the thermoregulatory mechanisms of their body are not yet fully functional, which means that in children complete thermal dysregulation of the body occurs faster. The sweat glands stop working, so the body is unable to cool down by sweating and dissipate excess heat to the environment. As a consequence, the body heats up more and more, often reaching a temperature of over 40 degrees Celsius.
Heat (sun) stroke in a child: symptoms
The risk of sunstroke in children increases when their clothes are not adapted to the ambient temperature, e.g. during long walks on hot days, or when the body is not hydrated enough. In such situations, the child's body temperature rises and can reach up to 42 degrees Celsius. Symptoms of sunstroke are also:
- headaches
- dizziness
- skin redness and burns
- general anxiety
- exhaustion of the body, lethargy
- crying (which is most often caused by a headache)
- nausea and vomiting
- no sweating
- chills
- rapid breathing
- high blood pressure
- sunken eyes and fontanel
- diarrhea
- oliguria or inhibition of urination
- muscle sagging
- loss of consciousness
Heat stroke in children: treatment
Heat stroke in children is a life-threatening condition, therefore after observing the above-mentioned symptoms, call an ambulance as soon as possible. Until emergency services arrive, remove warm clothes from baby and place them properly. If the baby's face is red, place him in a semi-sitting position, and when the baby is pale, place his body so that his head is lower than the body. Then soak the towel with lukewarm water and gradually cool it down over the hot body. Also use cooling gels (eg Fenistil or Termcool) to soothe irritated skin. You can also massage your baby's feet and calves to restore blood circulation. If your child is able to swallow, give them fluids to keep their body hydrated.
Don't do thatA child who suffers from heatstroke must avoid sharp changes in temperature. Therefore, do not put your baby in a cold bath or cool him down with ice, as this will contribute to the formation of thermal shock, which may result in, among others, uncontrolled and rapid breathing, blood circulation disorders, and even denaturation (protein curling in cells).