ATLANTA — As extreme heat continues across Georgia, doctors at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta are urging parents and caregivers to keep their children’s heart health in mind.
Dr. Glen Iannucci, a cardiologist with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, said staying hydrated is one of the most important things families can do during hot weather.
“For many kids that will look like somewhere between 64 and 84 ounces of non caffeinated beverages a day,” Iannucci said.
Iannucci said heat can put added stress on the heart.
“We know that when each degree of the body temperature increases, in general the heart rate will increase by about 10 points,” he said.
He also stressed the importance of watching for warning signs that could signal a problem.
“Chest pain with activity, the other signs or symptoms that would be concerning would be if there’s significant light-headedness or passing out with exertion, we really want to evaluate people for that,” Iannucci said.
Iannucci said parents should be mindful of hydration, especially on hot and humid days.
“Really being mindful about hydration is critically important particularly in the south on the days where the humidity levels are higher,” he said.
Doctors also recommend that parents recognize warning signs such as chest pain, shortness of breath and dizziness and have an emergency action plan in place as a precaution.
