Killing heat has parents, schools on ‘high alert’

Wednesday’s rally on Delhi’s streets was supposed to be his big show of strength, but Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari failed to handle the season’s scorching sun. He collapsed due to the heat wave in the middle of his march to the Parliament, amidst thousands of party workers.

Wednesday’s rally on Delhi’s streets was supposed to be his big show of strength, but Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari failed to handle the season’s scorching sun. He collapsed due to the heat wave in the middle of his march to the Parliament, amidst thousands of party workers.

HT Image

Nothing surprising, said health experts, considering the maximum temperature in the Capital has already crossed the 40 degrees Celsius mark this month.

“Long exposure in extreme heat can result in several heat-related complications such as rashes, sunburn, cramps, exhaustion and even stroke. One needs to be extra careful while venturing out in the heat, especially children,” said Dr Randeep Guleria, professor of medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

“The mornings are still fine but I start worrying when I think of the heat while bringing my son back from school. I take a huge water juice bottle with me and make him sip at regular intervals,” said Monica Tikoo, whose son Ishaan (3) studies at Delhi Public School, Noida.

Max Hospital’s senior consultant paediatrics Dr Nitin Verma said, “At home kids are well-protected but it's in schools where they mostly run the risk of getting exposed to the sun.”

"We get lots of heat-related cases these days. Kids show typical symptoms such as fever, vomiting, slight loose motion.”

Some of the city schools have started pitching in already.

“After 10.30 am, we have no outdoor classes. The water counters, which earlier used to be outside, have now been put inside the corridor so that kids don’t have to go out,” said Jyoti Bose, principal of Springdales School, Dhaula Kuan.