As Summer Arrives, Know the Signs and Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion and Heatstroke in Kids

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By SARAH SHMERLING | Editor-in-Chief

With warm weather comes increased risk of heat illness. Local doctors share signs, symptoms, treatment and preventative measures for heat exhaustion and heatstroke in kids.

Cases of heatstroke tend to spike at the end of June into July each year, continuing through August, according to a report by Children’s Health.

“Children may appear confused, fatigued and lethargic,” Dr. Bernard Katz explained to the Palisadian-Post about the warning signs of heat illness. “They may complain of abdominal pain or muscle cramps. They may also appear flushed.”

Katz, who practices with UCLA Health’s Pacific Palisades Family Medicine office, said that in extreme cases, kids may not produce sweat when sweating would be expected—which is also a warning sign in adults.

When the warning signs appear, Katz emphasized the importance of removing the child from the heat and sun, and placing them in a cool area where they can sit calmly and drink fluids, especially beverages with electrolyte solutions and sports drinks.

“In general, things that have 5% carbohydrates are absorbed better than water,” Dr. Gary Green with Primary Care Pacific Palisades – Saint John’s Physician Partners reported. “Most of the typical sports drinks that you have on the market, like Gatorade and Powerade, that’s exactly what they have—it’s about 5% carbohydrate.”

Green added that cold fluids are absorbed quicker than room temperature or warm fluids, so the optimal beverage would be 5% carbohydrate drinks with some electrolytes.

“When a child appears confused, disoriented or becomes unresponsive,” Katz explained, “then it is urgent to seek medical care. Sometimes children suffering heatstroke need to be provided with intravenous hydration.”

Children can be more susceptible to heat illness than other ages because of a few factors.

“Children are more active and less likely to sit still, which can make it harder for them to cool off and remain in the shade,” Katz said. “Also, children do not always have the same thirst drive, and may need to be reminded to drink fluids while exercising and exposed to hot weather.”

Green noted that additional accommodations can be made to prevent heatstroke in kids who are playing sports.

“If your kids are exercising in the heat, let’s say—for example, for soccer—there should be more breaks and they should make sure that the kids have more substitutions,” Green said. “Make sure the kids cool off under the shade. Have a tent set up so they can cool off, maybe even have a fan set up and allow them to have more frequent water breaks. They even make those accommodations in the World Cup, in soccer, when it’s above a certain temperature.”

Katz agreed that keeping kids protected from the sun and well hydrated helps avoid heatstroke.

“Wearing lightweight clothes and hats offer protection,” Katz said. “Reminding kids to drink fluids frequently is very helpful.”

Ideally, the fluids consumed will help replace salt that is lost through sweating, Katz explained, so electrolyte and sports drinks are beneficial.

“Drinks such as carbonated soda [and] drinks with caffeine … should be avoided,” Katz concluded.