BellaOnline Forums Family Early Childhood Kids and Heat: Beware!

This is the latest article published at the Early Childhood site. This article is being republished earlier than usual this year in hopes of Prevention!

Read the article and share your thoughts or stories. It's at Early Childhood @ Bella Online.

Nice artical.

It should be noted that it doesn't have to be very hot outside for a child to suffer heat exahustion or heat stroke while in a car. A few years ago I read an artical about a child dieing in a car and the outside temp was only in the low 60's (F).

You're right about it not having to be a hot day. The sun's rays are extremely powerful and with the right conditions it could be a dangerous situation.

Thanks for sharing that reminder!

You are so very right! Super article! Also, parents and caregivers: PLEASE don't allow children to play inside cars, sheds or other enclosed areas that they may become unable to leave.

And, with my son and his play friends, I "hostess" a play break with pedialyte pops and cool faceclothes during the hot SUMMER months...... they love it!

Kitty

That's a great article! Every parent should be required to read it. Every year in the summer at the beach I see tons of unhappy children, that are obviously overheated, and the parents are yelling at them to be quiet. I want to say something, but I don't want to make things worse. It's so unfair to the poor kids ... if a prison guard did that to a prisoner, they'd be hauled up on charges!

Kitty what an awesome suggestion!

I'll bet you could make your own popsicles out of Gatorade too.

Getting some kids to take a break from playing can be difficult (two of my four are that way), but popsicles would sure draw them in. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Goldeen "grouchiness" is a sure sign that a kid is hot and tired which is a good time to take a cool down break.

Overheating really takes a lot of a person, especially a little person. It can take several weeks to fully recover after allowing your body to become overheated, depending on the severity.

Well, Thank you!!!

Mixing fruit into the pedialyte or Gatorade makes the popsicles even yummier - but you have to be cautious of any neighbor children's allergies.

I was the oldest in a family of six children and now that I have a family of my own - our house STILL seems to be the neighborhood place to play! So, with all parental consent checked out, I try to provide a safe, comfortable and "really COOL" place to play in the Summer!

We "paint" each other with colorful, non-toxic sunscreen (sometimes we make it ourselves).

We take our old hoses and punch tiny holes in them (adults punch the holes, that is) and have the kiddos stretch the hose around the edges of the yard or around the play house. (This reminds me of the little sprinklers in AZ and Nevada.) Just enough spray to keep cool and not get soggy.

Camping tents that need a good airing out get setup near the shade trees with all the "windows" snapped or tied open and make a good place for tiny ones' naps that are buggy free!! - I always stay outside when anything like this is up to avoid anyone getting tangled. (Screen rooms are great for this too!)

And, I always have a craft idea or two nearby that is appropriate for the number of children playing, their ages and the area of my front porch. WE have made placemats, "rain flowers" for their Moms from coffee filters and LOTS of Play-Doh, Clay figures/pots/hands/tootsies, etc.

I want the children to have fun, be safe and healthy and maybe, just maybe learn something "neat" while they are here!

Kitty <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Oh yes!!! Ziploc bags are the BEST invention yet! My child and his buddies LOVE the

Zip Bag Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size ziploc plastic bag
1 gallon-size ziploc plastic bag
ice cubes

Directions:
Fill the large bag half full of ice and add the rock salt. Seal the bag. Put milk, vanilla and sugar into the small bag and seal it. Place the small bag inside the large bag and seal it again. Shake until the mixture turns into ice cream, about 5 minutes. THIS is the fun part - turn on some silly songs or new radio stations and watch the kiddos shake!!!

Top with sprinkles, nuts or any other topping and serve.

I actually get REQUESTS for this!

Kitty

Kitty what a wonderful yummy treat!

Would you mind if I placed this in my Early Childhood topic under the Recipes link? I could include a link back to you of course.

LOL I just noticed in your signature that you're a CE at Suite101.com. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I'm an ME and a CE there too. I also take care of the Education Community. It always amazes me to see folks at different sites that we are both a part of. For such a big place the web is actually a small world too. <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />