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Infant heat stroke: what is it?
Very rapid in infants, the rise in body temperature is due to prolonged exposure in an overheated area without sufficient ventilation. The child sweats less, he therefore no longer eliminates enough heat and his body temperature rises: this is hyperthermia. The first symptom that appears is fever followed by minor behavioral disturbances. He looks a little dazed, “groggy”. If he has lost a lot of water or hasn’t drunk enough, he will be cranky and cry because he is very thirsty. Then, dark circles will quickly widen under his eyes.
Baby heat stroke: how to react?
Start with the undress and put him in a well ventilated room with closed shutters. Then take his temperature, check that it has dropped, and give him a drink until he is completely full. He should start to recover. On the other hand, if his temperature drops slowly and he does not return to his normal behavior, see a doctor.
How to prevent baby’s heat stroke?
Give your baby something to drink regularly
Even if he doesn’t ask you to, give your toddler a drink on a regular basis. When it is hot, like an adult, a toddler needs to drink more. Especially since a newborn is made up of 70% water! If you do not regularly replenish its reserves, it can very quickly become dehydrated. Two solutions: give him complementary bottles of water or milk (if he is hungry), or when you prepare his bottle of milk, dilute it with more water.
Refresh your baby
Refresh it very often by applying lukewarm water to the body, especially the back of the neck, hair and forehead. But make sure that the water is not too cold, otherwise it causes vasoconstriction (closure) of the small vessels which will prevent it from sweating, and therefore from regulating its temperature.
Take a nap in the shade
At this age, a baby still needs a lot of sleep and a strong heat accentuates his fatigue. In the morning, after airing out your room for half an hour, close windows and shutters to keep the room as cool as possible. If that’s not enough, you can plug in a fan, away from his cradle, while he’s napping. Unless you prefer to lay him down in his pram or stroller in the shade in the garden. As long as you protect it well with a mosquito net and stay by its side to change its place, in case the sun turns.
In video: Should we give water to a breastfed baby when it is hot? Response from the lactation advisor
Dress your baby in light clothes
Replace the bodysuit that sticks to her skin with panties and a t-shirt. In the sun, equip him with a cap that protects him without wrapping his head too tightly, like hats do. This is important because the heat must be able to escape through the head. If it is indoors, one diaper is sufficient.
Avoid heat in the car
Before leaving, have your vehicle’s air conditioning checked and adjusted. If your car is not equipped, consider taking a water mist. You will be able to moisten baby’s forehead, hair and neck regularly. Also let a stream of air pass through the two windows at the front.
Leave very early in the morning or late at night. If you have to travel during the day, stop every 2 hours to give baby a drink, get him out of the car, and lay him in the shade on a blanket. During this time, open the windows of the vehicle to circulate the air for about ten minutes.
Never leave him alone, even for a few minutes to go for a run! Even if he fell asleep and even if you are parked in the shade. The sun can turn very quickly and the temperature can reach 70 ° C in the passenger compartment of a vehicle.
Protect your baby from the sun on a walk
Avoid taking it out between 12 and 16 p.m. if it is really hot. Favor walks early morning and late afternoon. In the first year, it is best to avoid destinations that are too hot. In the pram, remove the apron so that the air can circulate and especially do not place a towel in front of the opening of the hood to protect it from the sun: the heat could become stifling. Reserve the baby carrier for short trips only and in the shade. Also make sure that his face is not completely buried against you. Besides, you will quickly realize that this melee gives you both too much heat.
Stay safe at the beach
Up to 1 year or more, a baby has no fun going to the beach. The reverberation is too strong and the parasol does not protect it from the heat. At the end of the day, if he sits down and likes to splash around, plant your parasol at the edge of the water and dig a hole in the sand for him, he will love to patrol and this little “improvised bathtub” will refresh him.