HMC advises parents to be SMART to protect children from heat and related illnesses

Doha, Qatar: With schools closed and children at home for the long summer break, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) reminds parents and caregivers to ens...

Doha, Qatar: With schools closed and children at home for the long summer break, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) reminds parents and caregivers to ensure children are not exposed to excessive heat and humidity to protect them from heat-related illnesses which are more common during the summer months.

Experts at HMC warn parents to exercise caution and refrain from exposing children to high temperature or humidity if they choose to do any outdoor activities with them.

“Children are at an increased risk of developing heat-related illness if exposed to high temperatures because they don’t adjust to changes in environmental conditions as quickly as most healthy adults do. Therefore, it is very important for parents or caregivers to ensure children’s outdoor play time is when temperature and humidity are low, or they can let children play in airconditioned or shaded area,” notes Dr. Rafael Consunji, Director of Hamad Trauma Center’s Hamad Injury Protection Program (HIPP).

He states further the need for parents to be vigilant and monitor their children while taking them outdoors, saying ‘Hot weather can be a danger for everyone, but for children, the dangers are magnified. He states that a child’s temperature can rise five times faster than an adult’s temperature, especially on hot days.’