Staying Cool and Staying Warm All Summer

I made my first trip to California this week visiting friends in Irvine.  One of my preconceived visions was that the weather would be nice but warmer than what I am used to in Nebraska.  Wrong!  Eastern Nebraska is topping out in the mid-90’s this week and this part of California is in the 80’s with nice cool temperatures over night.  It is not at all what I expected. 

Weather is always unpredictable!  It can be annoying and with a medically fragile child it can be a major concern.  Some children are not able to regulate their body temperature to keep themselves at a comfortable and safe temperature.  This requires caretakers to be vigilance and creative—especially in the summer time.   

Children are impacted by both the heat outside and the downright cold temperatures created inside by overactive air-conditioning.   Trying to dress a child to handle both in the same outing can be tricky.  The age old advice about dressing in layers is definitely true for our kids in the summer time.   Start with a light weight outfit and be prepared to add accessories for additional cooling or warmth.

There are a number of things that can be helpful in keeping your child from overheating while enjoying outdoor summer fun.  One of the easiest and least expensive is a cooling neck wrap which is simply soaked in water and draped around the neck.  For Maddie the temperature difference is a drop of two degrees.  Frogg Toggs has come out with a towel that looks like it works similarly.  I have not tried it.  Maddie’s favorite would have to be watermisting fans.  These accessories have helped us a great deal over the years.   As tempting as it is sometimes to use ice to cool an overheated child, I have always avoided it because it seems like adding an extreme cold to a body that is already struggling with temperature.

Ironically, summer time is when Maddie has the most trouble with being too cold.  At a day camp once her temperature fell below 92 degrees just from being in a very cold air-conditioned room after swimming.  Consequently I am very careful about temperatures inside as well as outside in the summer time.  Try to pay attention to the location and direction air is flowing from vents to avoid sitting nearby.   Carrying a couple of blankets is helpful.  I generally keep one in Maddie’s bag and hang one over the back of her chair.  An electric heating pad is especially effective if you can find an outlet. 

On to the more fun things to help keep a body warm.  Since the most body heat is lost through the head, hats are a huge help.  Here is a chance to let your child’s personality shine.  Let him or her pick out the hats (they do not have to be dorky looking knit job) and they will be happy to wear them.  If you sew there a number of free hat patterns available like this hex hat.  Another trick I learned from a little girl in a hospital elevator is to wear baby leg warmers as arm warmers.  They are easy on and off and come in a variety of colors and patterns.  They are very fun!

It would be a terrible loss if our children were not allowed to enjoy all the summer fun just because of temperature regulation issues.   Such a child can enjoy summer fun without a temperature crisis if precautions are taken, warming and cooling accessories are within easy reach,  and attention  is paid to the environment.

*** Warning:  Never use a microwavable gell pack to warm or cool a child.  Significant burns can happen very quickly.