Hot Playgrounds Can Mean Serious Injuries For Children
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 NEWS
Updated: June 30, 2012
This heat wave means typical summer activities for kids are no longer a day at the park.
"They're so much more sensitive," said Jenna Nash. "Their skin absorbs it so much more quickly than ours does, it's miraculous how quickly they can get burnt."
Nash and her two children spent Friday at Little Rock's Splash Fountain.
She said even though they were cooling off, she still noticed visible effects the sun took on her kids.
"Children have larger surface areas of their body, compared to their height," said Dr. Mary Aitken a pediatrician at Little Rock Children's Hospital. "They can be at higher risk."
Medical professionals said you need to be aware of heat exhaustion even in places you might think are safe like those cooling-off areas.
"Certainly being in water or some water activity will keep them cooler," said Dr. Aitken, "But we always have to be conscious of prolonged exposure to sun and to the elements when the temperatures are this high."
Even safety risks you might not consider, like playground equipment.
The plastics and metals can grow hot in the sun and have been known to cause serious burns.
Experts recommend touching the equipment before letting your children get on it.
"The main thing to do is avoid excessive exposure to heat and avoid any illness from arising," said Dr. Aitken.
So far the children hospital's trauma unit hasn't seen any heat related emergency's among kids.
However they told KARK with the way summer is going they expect them to come.
If there is a heat related emergency, doctors suggest getting the child out of the sun immediately.
Or follow the link for suggestions on preventing a heat-related emergency in kids:
