Overview
- Public-health bodies and pediatricians on Wednesday urged parents to build fixed heat routines so infants and young children get drinks and shade before they show thirst.
- Doctors explain that children sweat less and have a higher surface-to-mass ratio, which makes them heat up faster and more likely to dehydrate during play.
- The AOK gives concrete guidance: children over two normally need about 30–40 ml per kg per day and may need two to three times that when temperatures top about 30°C, so offer water roughly once an hour or a large sip every 30–45 minutes.
- Parents should avoid the hottest hours of roughly 10:00–17:00, use hats and sunscreen, never leave children alone in a vehicle, and call emergency services at 112 for confusion, extreme drowsiness, seizures or loss of responsiveness.
- Simple tactics can help increase intake and prevent escalation, for example cooling breaks, playful drinks, water-rich foods, oral rehydration solutions for vomiting or diarrhea, and using telemedicine only for non-emergency triage.