Measures to prevent heat stroke in babies in summer

In the sultry summer, heat accumulates in the human body and is difficult to dissipate. The body temperature will rise from the usual 37℃ to over 40℃. At this time, the hypothalamus, the "headquarters" that regulates body temperature, fails to control and can no longer control sweating normally, which causes the body to store more heat than it dissipates. When the body temperature reaches above 42°C, it will cause degeneration of cells throughout the body, causing damage to the functions of important organs such as the brain, heart, liver, and kidneys, and even endangering life. Therefore, heat stroke should be detected early and treated as soon as possible.

If you find that your child has signs of heat stroke, you should immediately move him from the high temperature to a cool, ventilated place or an air-conditioned room with a room temperature <25℃. Then, undress the child to allow him to dissipate heat, and provide appropriate first aid treatment depending on the severity of the heat stroke.

Heat stroke with body temperature below 38℃

If your child has symptoms such as dizziness, headache, thirst, sweating, and general fatigue, but the body temperature does not exceed 38°C, you can use cold wet compresses to reduce the temperature. The specific steps are:

Fold the towel into two or four layers and soak it in ice water or cold water. Take it out and wring out some water so that the towel is dripping. Let the child lie on his back in bed and place a towel on his forehead. You can use two towels alternately. At the same time, you can let your child drink some cool salty drinks to replenish the fluid loss caused by excessive sweating. You can also let your child eat appropriate amounts of watermelon or iced mung bean soup, or take some Chinese medicine to relieve heat. In this way, the child's heat stroke symptoms will gradually disappear.

Heat stroke with a body temperature exceeding 38.5°C

If the child's temperature exceeds 38.5℃ and the skin is dry and hot, in addition to the above measures, ice water or alcohol baths must be taken to quickly cool down. If you can't find ice water or alcohol at home, you can use white wine instead. The specific steps are:

(1) Alcohol bath method: First take off all the clothes on the child, find a small towel or some gauze, dip it in diluted alcohol (1 part 75% alcohol plus 1 part water), and gently wipe the child's neck, armpits, elbows, and thighs back and forth repeatedly. The volatilization of alcohol can quickly dissipate the heat in the body.

It is worth noting that the child's chest and abdomen should not be wiped, because these two parts are particularly sensitive to cold stimulation. If wiped, it will cause adverse reactions such as slow heartbeat and diarrhea.

(2) Ice pack cold compress method: Put the ice cubes in the ice box in the freezer into an ice pack. If there is no ice pack, you can use a hot water bottle instead. Wrap the ice pack with a towel or cloth and place it under the child's head. You can also place it under the child's armpits and thighs.

When cooling down a child who has heatstroke, the mother must closely observe the child's body temperature, pulse and complexion. When the child's rectal temperature drops below 38.5℃, stop using alcohol wipes or ice packs. If the child's temperature continues to rise and he or she shows serious symptoms such as pale face, cold sweat, weak pulse, or even twitching limbs and impaired consciousness, the child should be immediately sent to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.