It's summer - time for sunlit evenings, outdoor fun and carefree living. But lurking to spoil your bliss are unbearable heat, suffocating smog and other seasonal assailants. No doubt you and your kids would rather thrive, not just survive, in the sweltering season. Here's a guide for taking the dog days in stride.
Hydration 101
Summer's sizzling rays can cause a range of heat-related illnesses, from dehydration to heat cramps. You'll most likely ride out the rising temperatures better than your little ones. Kids don't fare as well in heat as adults because they have a larger skin surface area for their weight, says Randy Calvert, an exercise physiologist and manager at the Children's Exercise and Nutrition Centre at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton.
Kids at play can shed 200 to 500 millilitres of sweat per hour, according to Calvert's colleague, exercise physiologist Boguslaw Wilk - and athletic youngsters, 500 to 700 millilitres an hour during training or competition. To help them replenish those lost fluids, make sure kids drink before, during and after activities. (When they're having fun, children can "forget" they're thirsty.) Water is best; save sports drinks for high-energy activities over a longer period - say, if your kids are kicking around at a soccer game.
How much water is enough? Eight glasses a day, experts say, but hydration isn't an exact science. Several factors come into play, including age, diet and activity level. What suits a kid indoors instant messaging may not quench your outdoor Beckham wannabe. Teach kids how to tell when they're dehydrated - signs are dry or sticky mouth, headache, dizziness and dark-yellow urine. Also, a good rule of thumb is to have a glass of H20 with every meal and in between. Active kids should drink two to four glasses for every hour of outdoor fun in steamy sun.
Get quenched while you eat. Foods with high water content can also help you replace lost fluid. Juicy fruits like melons and oranges are good choices, says Susie Langley, a Toronto registered dietitian. Plus, when kids are active, they need to replenish their stores of glycogen (carbs stored in the liver and muscles); natural sugars in fruits, whole grains, vegetables, milk and yogurt will help do the trick.
Heat hazards
Pay attention to daily weather forecasts - in particular, the Canadian Humidex, which combines temperature and humidity into one number. When the Humidex hits 40° to 45°C, keep exertion to a minimum. If it's higher than 45°C, make it one of those lazy days of summer. "On a very humid day, there's so much moisture in the air our sweat doesn't evaporate," says Calvert. "It's the process of evaporation that cools the skin."
When the body's heat regulation goes wonky, heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke can result. And severity increases with age: Stifling conditions that may cause heat cramps in a young teen could give Grandma heatstroke. Here's how to tell the difference:
Heat cramps
The signs Painful cramps, especially in the legs; moist skin; mild fever, not higher than 38.9°C (102°F)
What to do Move person to a cool or shaded area. Give cool (not icy) water to drink. Take off excess clothing and apply cool compresses to, or fan, skin. Stretch cramped muscles slowly and gently.
