The health notebooks: Summer savvy and Keep it clean & safe

Take a little extra care when out and about with your little li l one in i the h summer heat h

WATCH FOR HEATSTROKE – this is a serious medical condition and can be fatal. Symptoms are high body temperature, absence of sweating, flushed dry skin, difficulty breathing and sometimes seizures. Your baby is at risk if she spends long periods in the sun. Make sure she takes breaks from the sun by going indoors or moving to a shady place. It is advisable to avoid being in the sun between 10am and 4pm, so plan your outdoor activities for early in the morning or late in the afternoon, and drink plenty of water.

Apply sunscreen regularly – it protects against the UV rays of the sun, which can cause damage to your child’s skin. Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before going out in the sun. If your child has been swimming, reapply the waterproof sunscreen and do so every two hours. The sunscreen should at least have a SPF (sun protection factor) rating of 30 or higher. When applying sunscreen be sure to put it over her whole body – ears and feet, the back of her neck, her hair and face. Dress her in loose- fitting and light- coloured clothing. Making your toddler wear a hat and sunglasses is a mission, but it’s a must when she’s in the sun. Some stores sell protective clothing designed for protection against UV rays.

Avoid dehydration – drinking water is a healthy habit, especially when outdoors. Give her water frequently. This will keep the water levels in her body from dropping. Avoid her getting thirsty when outdoors because by the time she feels thirsty, hydration levels might have dropped drastically in her body. YB

TAKE SPECIAL CARE OF YOUR NEWBORN

Increased body temperature has been linked to Sids (sudden infant death syndrome) as it is believed that the higher body temperature increases the metabolic rate making it difficult for your baby to breathe. So keep her cool with these tips: ✔ Remove excessive clothing, give her lukewarm baths and enough fluids. ✔ During hot days and nights keep her room cool by opening some windows or using a fan. Keep her away from any drafts and deflect the fan so as not to blow directly onto her. If you swaddle, remove one layer of clothing first. ✔ Keep a bottle of cool water and a facecloth handy to wipe her down as it can be unbearably hot. Strip her down if needs be. ✔ Your newborn’s skin is very delicate and can easily burn. When going outdoors, avoid exposing her to direct sunlight since you can’t use sunscreen on her. Use a nappy or special sunshade to shield her. ✔ Newborn skin is prone to rashes and spots, but heat rash is something else – a pimply, itchy rash on the body caused when your baby sweats to cool down and her skin pores get clogged. If the rash persists, see your doctor soon.