Temperatures have reached near record highs this week in Memphis, and it’s only going to get warmer. Parents need to make sure their kids are staying safe and limiting heat exposure as much as possible.

Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are major concerns in the summer, says Barry Gilmore, MD, medical director of Emergency Services at Le Bonheur. According to Gilmore, multiple factors can contribute to these illnesses in the summertime, including temperature, humidity, sun exposure, wind and clothing. And kids are more susceptible to heat-related illnesses than adults.

“They have a decreased ability to sweat,” says Gilmore. “Kids require a greater core temperature to initiate sweating and are slower to acclimatize to temperature changes. They produce more heat than an adult for the same level of activity.”

He says sweating is important because it regulates the body’s internal temperature. Without perspiring, the body can get too hot.

Many times, kids don’t recognize the signs of too much heat exposure until it’s too late. According to Gilmore, prolonged exposure to heat, certain medications and even caffeinated drinks can contribute to an increased risk of heat-related illness.

To prevent these illnesses, Gilmore says to make sure kids come inside frequently to cool off if they’re playing outdoors. Hydration is key, too, so insist they drink plenty of water. Clothing should be breathable – like cotton, for example – and light weight. If your child has been sick recently, keep him or her inside. Often, children who have been sick are dehydrated.

For any parent who has debated taking a child to the nearest emergency department rather than a local children’s hospital after a trauma, take a minute to read the information below from Le Bonheur Director of Trauma Trey Eubanks, MD.

“Most community hospitals are designed to tackle the illnesses affecting the majority of patients in the area they service – adults. These hospitals are reluctant to provide trauma care because adult trauma care often requires extensive resources that community hospitals simply can’t provide due to cost and shortages of manpower.  Most of the time, these hospitals have a regional trauma center to which they refer patients, who will then be seen by trauma experts. 

Therefore, when a severely injured pediatric patient arrives at a primarily adult-focused emergency department, it can be stressful for the care provider, as these hospitals do not house pediatric experts. Adult hospitals are simply different from their pediatric counterparts.
Children’s hospitals like Le Bonheur are made up solely of professionals with pediatric-specific training. From the pediatricians, surgeons and anesthesiologists to the OR nurses, physical therapists and child life specialists – they have made a life choice to gain expertise in taking care of children, and many consider this their life passion.

For me it’s personal. I’m a father of five children and know first hand how scary having an injured child can be for both you and your child.  After undergoing a significant traumatic event, kids are often terrified. They need their families, and they need a team of people focusing on their needs. That’s the beauty of Le Bonheur – from the minute they come through the doors of the Emergency Department, our team is working collaboratively to meet that child’s physical, emotional and spiritual needs. There isn’t a need that child will have when they get here that won’t be met by someone.  And because Le Bonheur functions as a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, when a child arrives who is in critical condition, our team of experts are able to take him or her immediately to surgery for treatment of his or her injuries

Memphis is made up of an amazing health care community. We have a world-renowned neurology program right here at Le Bonheur, The Med provides life-saving critical care and our adult health care system counterparts provide cutting-edge care ranging from surgical procedures to prevention.

The Emergency Department at Le Bonheur is a 60-bed unit that handles everything from persistent fever to major traumas. Of the more than 70,000 patients seen in our ED each year, 10,000 are major or minor trauma cases, of which 1,000 get admitted to the hospital. The unit has four trauma rooms with bedside radiology and advanced resuscitative care to help the medical team intervene faster when seconds matter.

When your child has an injury that needs medical attention, take them to Le Bonheur or your nearest children’s hospital. Our Emergency Department is well equipped to handle any type of situation – and we are here for you and your child.”