Beat the Heat: Essential Summer Safety Tips for Parents

Neptune, N.J. - July 2, 2025 - Being aware of heat safety, especially during the summer months, is incredibly important for parents, as it could mean the difference between a fun-filled day and a trip to the emergency room. This includes knowing how to recognize signs and symptoms for heat-related illness for infants, children, and themselves as adults – and how to prevent a potentially dangerous situation. Keep in mind, infants and children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illnesses, as their bodies heat up faster and don’t regulate body temperature in the way that adults do. They also don’t sweat as much as adults do, which reduces their ability to cool down. And extra vigilance is needed for children with certain medical conditions like asthma, heart issues, or obesity, as they can be at increased risk during extremely high temperatures.

A few things to keep in mind include knowing the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, and knowing what to do if your child is exhibiting any of the following signs:

Heat exhaustion

• pale, clammy skin
• dizziness, headache
• fatigue
• excessive sweating
• muscle cramps
• nausea

Heat stroke

• high fever (104 degrees or higher)
• confusion
• seizures or loss of consciousness
• flushed skin
• absence of sweating

If you think your child is exhibiting signs of heat exhaustion, find a place out of the sun and heat, have them drink fluids and apply cool, wet towels or cloths to the skin. If there’s no improvement within an hour, seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

To keep safe, there are some general rules of thumb: avoid the sun and being outdoors during peak hours (typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.); dress children in light-colored, loose-fit clothing with a broad-brimmed hat; take breaks from the heat at regular intervals (every 20 minutes or so); and have your child hydrate regularly, especially if they’re participating in physical activity. Pay attention to local weather forecasts and know the difference between heat advisories, watches and warnings. And if the heat index is 90 or greater, parents should try to limit the amount of time they have young children outside, especially babies. All of these things will help keep you and your child cooler and reduce the risk of becoming sick.

Other things that are not so obvious to parents include checking with your child’s pediatrician about the medications they’re taking, as some medicines can elevate the risk of a heat-related illness. Also, if your child is with another caregiver on hot days, ensure there are plenty of fluids and cool, sheltered areas for both child and caregiver – keeping in mind that your caregiver (i.e., a grandparent) may also be in an ‘at risk’ category for heat-related illness and should be checked on to see if they are up to the task of caring for your child or need additional support.

No air conditioning? No problem. Swimming or being in a pool may provide some brief respite from high temperatures, but remember - never leave a child unattended near the water. Otherwise, trips to your local library, shopping mall, or even a museum can serve as cooler alternatives and help prevent ‘cabin fever’ at home. Even if you normally have AC at home, keep such plans in the back of your mind in case of an intentional or prolonged power outage.

And it may be tough to wake a sleeping child while you’re out running errands, but don’t ever leave a child in a hot car unattended – even for a minute. In as little as 10 minutes, temperatures inside a vehicle can soar by 20 degrees, even if you’re parked in a shaded area and have the windows rolled down slightly. To avoid mishap, always check the backseat of the car before heading inside. Lock your car regularly when parked, knowing that children sometimes like to play in and around cars. And if you have a change in routine and someone else is driving your child, check to make sure they’ve arrived safely.

And while your infant or child may not be able to directly tell you they’re not feeling well, signs of irritability or being overly quiet should prompt you to find a cooler spot and make sure they’re not in any kind of distress.

Marie Grace Ponce, MD, is the medical director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey.