NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Things are heating up this summer. Are you prepared for the outdoors if things get too hot and humid?
It's important to recognize the signs of a heat illness as the symptoms can creep up on you.
At Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, Maggie Rogers fans lined up to buy concert tickets.
“I have sunscreen in my bag, and we tried to drink a lot of water but it doesn’t feel like enough," Norris said.
Sabree Norris and Will Hemenover held an umbrella to block the sun.
“And thankfully staff at Brooklyn Bowl is bringing out cold like waters for people and that’s pretty nice because otherwise it’s pretty tough," Hemenover said.
Liza Jones said she's wearing sunscreen.
“I definitely should have brought a water. It is very toasty out here, and people are dying to get in the shade around the corner, or under the trees, but it’s worth it for Maggie," Jones said. "I got here a little late. This was very expected."
The heat and air quality is a one-two punch, especially for kids. At Monroe Carrell Junior Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, Stacey Pecenka said you should never leave children in a car unattended.
“Children have a faster metabolism than adults, and they sweat less, and so they’re immediately going to be more at danger of heat exhaustion, or any of the other heat illnesses,” Pecenka said. “Temperatures in a vehicle, when it’s not running, can increase about 20 degrees in 10 minutes, and so that’s very very dangerous.”
So how can you prevent these heat illnesses? It's important to drink plenty of fluids (not just soda or coffee as those can lead to dehydration). Make sure to drink water and sports drinks.
Wear light-colored, lightweight clothing and schedule activities during the cooler times of the day.
You should also wear a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen when possible.
When under an extreme heat warning, it's important to find air conditioning when you can and never leave people or pets in a closed car.
Remember that with high humidity, you're sweating more. This means you're losing a lot of water and need to make sure you're staying hydrated.
Worried about taking your baby out in their stroller?
Make sure you keep the baby shaded with a canopy. Don't cover the stroller with a blanket as it can not only become loose but can also prevent proper airflow.
Dress your baby in lightweight, breathable fabric like cotton, bamboo or linen and try to time the walks in the early morning or evening as temps will be cooler.
The hottest part of the day is around 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. most days.
You can also use cold water bottles to keep them cooler.
- Fill 2 water bottles halfway with water and freeze them
- Wrap each bottle in a towel and place one on either side of the baby
Be sure to keep an eye out to see if your baby is overheating.
Call your doctor if the baby is:
- lethargic
- fussy or irritable
- is vomiting or not eating or drinking as usual
- is inconsolable or won’t stop crying
- has a seizure or is not acting like his or herself
- has a temperature that won’t go down with measures taken at home
Don't be fooled by fans
Fans create air flow and a false sense of comfort, but they DO NOT reduce body temperature.
If it's more than 95 degrees outside, you should try to find air conditioning instead.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
