By Rathindra Kuruwita
Parents must ensure that their children are well hydrated in view of high temperatures being reported from many parts of the country, says Dr. Deepal Perera, consultant paediatrician at the Lady Ridgeway Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Perera added that the high temperature and profuse sweating could also cause skin rashes and trigger eczema. “Keep your children hydrated. If you can keep them in water for some time, it’s also good. If your child’s urine is of a darker shade, that’s an indication that he or she is not hydrated enough,” he said.
The Meteorological Department has announced that those living in the Eastern and North-Central provinces and in Kurunegala, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya,Mullaitivu, Mannar, Moneragala and Hambantota districts must take precautions against high temperatures.
“I advise people to stay hydrated, take breaks in shade as often as possible, limit strenuous outdoor activities, wear light clothes,” he said.
Dr. Perera said that when a person sweats profusely, he or she also loses a lot of minerals. “It’s not enough just to consume water,” he said.
“You also need to ingest minerals like sodium. Body pains, headaches, difficulty in sleeping, etc., are usually symptoms of dehydration. If you engage in strenuous physical activities these days, you have to be careful. There have been instances of heat strokes too,” he said.