Heatwave Alert: Expert warns children more vulnerable to heat stress

As IMD issues a heatwave alert, paediatric expert Dr Shalini Tyagi warns parents to take extra precautions, stating children are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat stress, and infections due to their developing thermoregulation systems.

Dr Shalini Tyagi, Director of Paediatric Care at Medanta, Noida, on Thursday, advised parents to take extra precautions for children amid rising heatwave conditions, warning that children are more vulnerable to dehydration, heat stress and related infections during extreme weather. The warning comes as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued an orange alert for heatwave conditions in Delhi, Haryana, and Chandigarh, with similar conditions likely in several other states, including Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Telangana, Odisha, and Uttarakhand.

Expert Explains Children's Vulnerability

Speaking to ANI about the impact of heat on children's health, Dr Tyagi said, "Every weather change affects children more than it affects adults. If you look at it, children have a larger body surface area relative to their weight, meaning they absorb more heat. Additionally, their thermoregulation system is not as well-developed as it is in adults."

Health Complications and Advice on Play

She further warned that seasonal heat is leading to multiple health complications among children, adding, "Because of the heat, we frequently see children suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration, and certain respiratory infections also increase during this time." However, she cautioned against restricting outdoor activity completely, saying, "I would not tell children to just sit at home and avoid going out to play, because playing is an essential part of their health--it is the equivalent of exercise for adults."

Heatstroke Cases Reported in Delhi

Meanwhile, Delhi's Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has reported another heatstroke case amid soaring temperatures in the national capital. A 50-year-old man was admitted on Thursday morning after being brought in unconscious by police with an extremely high body temperature. According to the hospital, doctors immediately placed him on a ventilator support and initiated ice-cold water immersion cooling.

This comes after a 24-year-old man, who was travelling by train, was rushed to Dr Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital in an unconscious state on Thursday. The patient was immediately admitted to the hospital's emergency care facility, where a dedicated heatwave clinic initiated intensive life-saving treatment protocols to stabilise his condition and reduce dangerously elevated internal body temperature. (ANI)

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