It’s really hot! Take special care of young children

A few tips to protect your child from dehydration during heat waves:

• Give your child something to drink more often:
• A breastfeeding baby should be given the breast more often
• A bottle-fed baby should be given water between bottles
• Cool your child in a tub of warm water several times a day
• Avoid exposing your child to the sun and bringing him or her outdoors between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• If you have to go out, make sure your child is wearing light clothing and cover his or her head with a wide-brimmed hat
• Make sure that there is air circulating around the child’s bed and move the bed away from the wall

Never leave a child alone in a car or a room where there is no air circulating, even for a few minutes.

Signs to watch for in a child that may indicate heat-related illness:

• Wets less than 4 diapers in a 24-hour period
• Urinates less often and urine is dark
• Skin, lips or mouth are dry
• Abnormally agitated or irritable
• Sunken eyes and circles under the eyes
• Sleeps a lot and is hard to awaken
• Difficulty breathing
• Abnormal skin colour, pale or red
• High body temperature, 38.5°C or over (rectal)
• Headaches, vomiting or diarrhoea

If the child shows any of these signs, call Info-Santé by dialing 811 or consult a doctor.