Summer Tips For Managing Children !

1. What problems can children face in summers?

Ans. Children are not only more sensitive to the heat, but more likely to indulge in behavior that exposes them to it! Jaise ki dhoop mein khelna etc. Also summertime leads to a lot of water borne diseases plus skin problems. Among the common problems that we get in summer are fever, Loose motions and vomiting, dehydration, Jaundice, and skin infections.

2. What should be the appropriate diet for a child in summers and also the water intake because its usually seen that the parents do not pay much attention to the amount of water being given to the child. they think that whatever water given along with food is enough.

Ans. Water intake forms a very important part of beating the summer heat. This is the best possible single way to keep the heat at bay! Water, & milk shakes, lime juice (neembu-paani), buttermilk (chaach) are some of the tasty ways that can keep not only the children happy but provide adequate protection against excessive heat. Eat lots of fruits & salads as these have high water content. Not only the quantity, but the quality of water is important too. Ensure that you have properly serviced water filters at home. When you go out, do remember to drink only bottled water. Iske elaava, regular hand washing before every meal with soap and water for at least 30 seconds is a must.

I would also like to state here that certain illnesses like hepatitis A and typhoid are very common in summers, therefore check your immunization schedule and complete the courses of these vaccines.

3. Diarrhea is a major and common in summers and if proper care is not taken it can be fatal. Please tell us what precautions should be taken if the child is suffering from diarrhea and also ways to prevent it from happening?

Ans. That is absolutely correct; diarrhoea can be very serious problem in children. Diarrhoea along with vomiting is the commonest reason for admission in children especially during the summers. We can reduce the chances of diarrhoea by ensuring the intake of good quality water and food. Again the use of filtered and bottled water needs to be emphasized. Also outside food, especially cut fruits, and fruit juices sold from roadside vendors must not be consumed.

Once a child gets diarrhoea, the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to prevent dehydration. This can be done by increasing the fluid intake, with ORS, chaach (buttermilk), or even plain water, as some children do not like the taste of ORS. A light diet consisting of bananas, dahi, khichdi and dalia, and less of milk is ideal to help in digestion. Weak Tea, lemon juice with salt and sugar and apple may be useful. Avoid giving milk or very sweet fruit juices as these can increase the duration of diarrhoea.

4. Heat stroke is another common problem. Please give us the symptoms and precautions we should take to avoid heat stroke. and also tell us the treatment if a child is suffering from heat stroke.

Ans. Heat stroke is a very dangerous summer illness, which occurs in extreme heat, high humidity or vigorous activity in the hot sun. During this time body's normal cooling systems like sweating are unable to maintain a normal temperature and the temperature shoots up. The person becomes dehydrated, and also has headache, dizziness, sluggishness or fatigue, seizure, hot, dry skin that is flushed but not sweaty, high body temperature, and even loss of consciousness. This is a MEDICAL EMERGENCY and requires urgent treatment. There are some immediate first aid measures you can take while waiting for help to arrive.

1. Get the person indoors.
2. Remove clothing and gently apply cool water to the skin followed by fanning to stimulate sweating.
3. Apply ice packs to the groin and armpits.
4. Have the person lie down in a cool area with their feet slightly elevated
5. There are precautions that can help protect you against the adverse effects of heat stroke. These include:
   1. Drink plenty of fluids during outdoor activities, especially on hot days. Avoid tea, coffee, soda and alcohol as these can lead to dehydration.
   2. Wear lightweight, tightly woven, loose-fitting clothing in light colors.
   3. Schedule vigorous activity and sports for cooler times of the day.
   4. Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses and using an umbrella.
   5. During outdoor activities, take frequent drink breaks
   6. Try to spend as much time indoors as possible on very hot and humid days. Reading is a good habit to cultivate during summer breaks, indoor activities like board games; dance etc. is very useful too.