PHOTO BY DAVE DICELLO

Extreme heat can cause numerous health risks, from dehydration to heat stroke, and children are at a higher risk as they have trouble regulating body temperature.

Dr. Kate DeAntonis, a pediatric hospitalist at AHN Wexford’s inpatient pediatric program, says prevention is key.

“Prevention is the most important thing for most health and safety matters. Prevention is especially important during a heat wave,” she says.

“The first tip I have, sadly, is to adjust your expectations. Everyone makes fun summer plans and it’s really hard to face the fact when a heat wave interrupts your recreation or vacation plans.”

But staying inside with air conditioning is safer, especially during the hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. If your home is not air-conditioned, DeAntonis recommends going to a mall, play center or one of the city’s cooling centers.

Kids are more at risk in part because they’re less deliberate about drinking water. During times of extreme heat, kids ages 1-3 may need an extra four cups of water in a 24-hour period and kids ages 4-8 may need five or six extra cups of water, she says.

Keep an eye out for sunburn, fatigue, headache, abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting or if they tell you the heat is too much for them, DeAntonis recommends. If they’re experiencing symptoms, loosen any tight clothing, bring them indoors or get them into shade, use cold packs and offer them cold beverages or water.

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“Those measures should help the patient turn around pretty rapidly,” she says. “If at any point while you’re doing that they get worse, or if you don’t see any progress after 30 minutes, you need to seek medical attention.”