Sunstroke: symptoms and treatment
There is nothing better for children than playing in the summer sun. But they must be protected from sunstroke, as they usually have few or fine hairs. In addition, their thin skin does not offer them sufficient protection from the rays. Here you can find out what you can do to prevent sunstroke.
Too much sun on your baby’s or child’s head can cause irritation of the meninges. One then speaks of a sunstroke. In contrast to heat stroke, sunstroke does not affect the whole body, but initially only the head. Below you will find a few tips for the right sun protection for children and how you can prevent sunstroke.
Preventing Sunstroke: Precautions
In general, you should not expose your child to direct sunlight. Otherwise it is important that you protect his head from the heat with a scarf or a hat. On a beach holiday , you should always put your child under a parasol and generally make sure that they are not exposed to the sun for too long, otherwise there is a risk of sunstroke or heat stroke. Your child must drink enough when playing on hot days and primarily stay in the shade.
Symptoms of sunstroke:
- the head is hot and red
- strong headache
- glassy eyes
- Nausea, nausea
- Drowsiness, dizziness
- fever (in severe cases)
Proper cooling in case of sunstroke
Cooling is the be-all and end-all in the event of sunstroke. Take your child out of the sun and put them in a cool, shady place or in a darkened room. The upper body should be slightly higher. Try to lower your child’s body temperature by making damp, cold compresses and placing them on the head and neck. You can also give him cool drinks and something salty to eat. If your child’s symptoms do not subside after two to three days of rest, you should call a doctor.
Not sunstroke but heat stroke
Heat stroke, or heat build-up, is rather rare in our latitudes because it is only triggered by extreme temperatures. The most common cause is the “forgotten” child in the car. There it can get hot up to 70 degrees in direct sunlight, which can have fatal consequences after just a few minutes. Never leave your child alone in the car, not even for a few minutes!
In the case of heat stroke, the skin is hot and reddened, later gray and pale. The pulse is rapid and weak. Unconsciousness and apnea may occur. The emergency services must be alerted immediately!