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Extreme heat can make children sick. Mothers need to protect their children from the heat as much as possible, watch out for symptoms of heat-related sicknesses, and visit the pediatrician if they see any develop.
When the weather is too hot, it poses a significant health risk. However, there are several steps you can take to beat the heat and protect your child from heat-related illness:
Find an air-conditioned space. If your home does not have air-conditioning, find a nearby building that does. If you live in a place where the air-conditioning is unpredictable, plan in advance for a safe place for you and your family to go during times when the temperatures are high.
Encourage your children to drink water regularly and have it readily available even before they ask for it. Make sure they drink water before and after meals.
Dress your children in clothing that is light-colored, lightweight, and limited to one layer of absorbent material that will maximize the evaporation of sweat. Kids have a lower capacity for sweating than adults.
Plan for extra rest time when it comes to taking care of your children when the weather is hot. Heat can often make children and their parents feel tired.
When your children are feeling hot, give them cool bath to cool down. Swimming is another great way for them to cool off while staying active.
Don’t leave your children in the car on a hot day. Leaving a child on their own locked in a car on any day, especially a hot day, even for a short period, can be fatal. The temperature inside a car can very quickly climb to dangerous levels.
Children are more at risk from heat-related problems because they can lose fluid very quickly and become dehydrated, leading to heat stroke and potentially death.
Keep your children cool when they sleep. Your child will sleep more comfortably if you let them sleep in a cool room in the house. Make sure air can circulate around them. You may use fans, but not directed at them.
Cover mattresses and waterproof sheets with thick layers of cotton sheets to absorb perspiration and prevent prickly heat rash.
Sick children need special attention in hot weather. Frequent breastfeeding and extra drinks are very important if your baby is ill. To cool hot little bodies, try frequent lukewarm baths.
Prevent the effects of sun exposure by limiting the amount of time your children spend under the sun. The effects of extreme heat can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat stroke.
Visit your pediatrician immediately if any of your children feel faint, is extremely tired, feels unusually sleepy, drowsy, has headache, fever, and intense thirst.
Other symptoms include not urinating for many hours, nausea, vomiting, breathing faster or deeper than normal, skin numbness or tingling, muscle aches and muscle spasms.
Your pediatrician can advise you on the next best course of action and whether an immediate evaluation is needed.
Don’t forget about your children’s mental health as well. Children may become anxious or restless from being kept indoors. Plan ahead for entertainment with indoor activities and games.
Being a Dad
How to teach your teenage son about his body
Kate Halim
If you are having a hard time talking to your son as he gets older, you are not alone. Many fathers often feel uncomfortable or embarrassed talking with their son about certain topics, like his body and puberty.
Some fathers don’t think they have the right knowledge to share with their teenage sons. But these boys need to be taught these things so that they don’t end up picking the wrong information from the street or peers.
Boys get lots of information, some true, some false from their peers and the media, so they need daddy’s help to sort it all out.
As a father, you have the ability to separate facts from fiction for your child. Teaching your son about his body should be an open, honest and continuous conversation, starting at an early age.
When boys are 8 or 9 years old, they are widely varied in their levels of curiosity and understanding. Some may ask lots of questions, while others may be wondering about things to themselves.
Respond to their questions, but don’t wait for them to come to you. And, if they ask you a question you are not ready to respond to, it’s okay to say, “Let me think about it.” Just make sure you follow through with an answer.
To help you feel more confident in talking with your son, here are some things to teach him about his body.
It’s normal to think about appearance and to want to be handsome and attractive. Be open to discussing unrealistic expectations of body image. Avoid calling your son ‘fat’ or ‘skinny,’ and avoid negative comments about your own body. Your son will pick up on them, affecting their own attitudes toward body image.
Stress healthy eating and personal hygiene, as well as rest and safety practices. Emphasize the importance of safety, such as wearing a helmet or seatbelt, in all situations.
Stay away from euphemisms when talking with your son. Instead, use direct language. This means using anatomical terms to explain body parts and their functions accurately and factually.
Boys should know what physical and emotional changes are associated with puberty by the time they are 10 years old. That may seem young, but think of it as preparation. Boys should know what to expect with puberty before it starts.
Sex is natural and a part of the human life cycle. Talking to your son about it doesn’t have to be one formal, serious conversation and then you are done. Stay composed and conversational, so they can feel comfortable talking with you about sex any time.
And don’t be surprised if he gets quiet, starts talking about something else, or walks away. He definitely heard you, but he may need some time to let what he just learned sink in.
With the rise of social media, breaches of privacy should be protected against. Talk with your son about the importance of privacy including bodies, personal space, and personal information, respecting his own privacy, as well as others’. Teach him about social media responsibility.
Teach your son to respect himself. This goes beyond taking care of the body. If someone is bullying him or touching him in an inappropriate or harmful way, help him feel comfortable with saying “no” and telling an adult. It will be easier for him if you already established an open, honest dialogue.
Your son will probably start to notice that girls’ bodies are changing, too. Be ready to discuss changes in their female friends’ bodies and how to respect them. Discourage harmful or disrespectful thoughts about girls learned from friends, media or other sources.
