How to help kids and babies avoid summer diseases

While summer gives children time off from school, the weather makes it difficult for both kids and parents to enjoy their vacation.

 

Children and babies are very much affected by the heat, especially because of relative humidity.

 

Weather forecaster Jori Loiz of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) explains that because of relative humidity, perspiration is trapped and the body cannot cool down. If the weather is 36.6 degrees Celsius, the body actually feels 40 - 41 degrees Celsius.

 

"Ang nagagawa ng relative humidity sa body, hindi kaagad lumalabas ‘yung pawis natin. So ‘di ba ang pawis natin ‘yun ang pinaka-coolant ng katawan. Kapag lumabas ‘yung pawis natatanggal na ang init sa katawan natin. 

 

“Pero ‘pag mataas ang relative humidity, nasu-suppress ang paglabas ng pawis. So ang nafe-feel natin sa katawan natin para tayong nilalagnat," Loiz said in a report by Kara David on 24 Oras on April 30.

 

 

For some children, the heat is so unbearable that it keeps them up all night, despite the electric fan.

 

"Hindi siya makatulog kapag nasa loob. Nilalabas ko siya. Sa labas kami hanggang makatulog siya then pinapasok ko na lang siya, hanggang madaling araw," shared Rhapsody Sabellano, whose baby Shannaia can't fall asleep in their room, which has no windows.

 

"Mahirap siya makatulog. Sobrang init kasi pinapawisan siya," said Mary, the baby's mother. According to the report, they also observed that Shannaia would get a cold frequently since the start of the season.

 

Brothers JJ and Jacob are practically covered with starch, to help relieve their prickly heat, which even powder could not help.

 

"Sinubukan ko ng pulbos, marami na. Hindi rin natanggal eh. Gawgaw na inilagay ko," said the boys' mother, Marilyn Manalo.

 

Among the common "summer diseases" are colds, fever, asthma, prickly heat and diarrhea.

 

Summer diarrhea

 

Dr. Milagros Encarnacion, a pediatrician at Capitol Medical Center, explained that digestion is very poor when it is hot. "You have such things as summer diarrhea. Pagka mainit, very poor ang digestion natin so nagkakaroon sila ng diarrhea," she said.

 

The doctor also advised parents to watch out for dehydration, which can be a cause of death in children.

 

The signs of dehydration are weakness, difficulty sleeping, loss of appetite, dry mouth, and infrequent urination.

 

"Tingnan mo kung umiiyak, 'di na lumalabas ‘yung tears niya. Kahit ilang bottles na ang binigay mong gatas ‘di na umiihi, signs of dehydration ‘yan," she said.

 

To avoid dehydration, parents should give their children a bath three times a day, wipe them using a damp towel, make sure they drink plenty of water and eat fruits like watermelon and dalandan, as well as avoid prolonged exposure to the sun. –Carmela G. Lapeña/KG, GMA News