Common summer ailments among children: Symptoms, prevention, treatment

MANILA, Philippines — When children’s idea of fun is to slouch on the couch and play digital games endlessly, you kind of wish they would take up some outdoor games that would challenge them physically and keep them fit and healthy.

But now that it’s summertime and your young kids are actually playing in the backyard with neighborhood friends all day, you are also worried — this time, over the fact that it is summer and the searing heat opens up the possibility of your kids getting sick. Summer, after all, is the season for ailments, and there are health conditions that crop up during the season.

Makati Medical Center (MakatiMed), through its Department of Pediatrics, enumerates summer’s most common ailments among kids and shares tips on how your kids can avoid getting them.

Kids who stay out in the sun too long are bound to get one or a combination of common skin conditions, such as prickly heat and sunburn.

“Prickly heat, or bungang-araw, is an itchy and uncomfortable rash that develops when your sweat glands are blocked and sweat cannot rise to the surface of the skin to evaporate,” said Angelica Cecilia Tomas, MD, of MakatiMed. “Adults get it, but children get it more because their sweat glands are still developing.”

To beat prickly heat, apply calamine lotion or talcum powder to soothe the itchy, stinging sensation.

Keep kids cool by making them wear loose, light-colored apparel. Tight clothes can be uncomfortable and dark-colored ones absorb heat.

While outdoor play and more movement is encouraged for kids, it's important to be aware of the hours when sun exposure is more helpful than harmful. "Morning sunshine is still best for outdoor play.  Ask your kids to take a break from playing (or play in a shaded area) when the sun’s rays are at their most intense — between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — and have them hydrate regularly by drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day,” advised Dr. Tomas.

In case a child develops a painful sunburn, give him a cool bath or apply a cold compress to the sunburned area. "Applying aloe gel or topical moisturizer also helps relieve the burn," the doctor said. 

“Food poisoning is the result of consuming spoiled food and drinks. It