Help, think DD has sunstroke...

[SleepyCaz]

DD is 16 months. Spent whole day in garden today, VERY hot.
Slathered her and DS in sunblock spf 50 and enforced the hats rule. DD just took her hat off though, I replaced it over and over again.
Cutting story short, she has burnt her head. She has been asleep since 7pm, normal bedtime, but about 45 mins ago was REALLY sick all over bed.
She has high temp and is pale and the burnt head is REALLY red now.

Any advice? So worried and guilty too.

Sips of cool water while you ring NHS direct.

Hope she's ok.

Umm, no experience of this but NHS direct?

Hope she's better soon

Call NHS direct straight away, they are very helpful

have you phoned nhs direct yet? or out of hours gp who can advise over the phone as well as make appts? sorry if both sound obvious.

Did she have any sunlotion on her head?
Is there any shade in your garden?

I had a heat stroke when I was in my early twenties, and I was very uncomfortable with it. I would seek medical help.

How high is her temp? If its over 40 I would take her to A&E straight away - even if its not sunstroke you need a dr to see where the temp is coming from. If its less than that you could give calpol, pop her in a cool bath and give lots of cool fluids and see how you go for a bit...but if temp not coming down then get her to a dr.

I suspect you have realised the hard way that best place for babies is the shade/indoors on days like today! Hope she is better soon.

I would ring NHS direct on 0845 4647.

Hope she is ok. DD once got sunburnt and I felt horrible about it.

I think it's probably best to keep kids out of the direct sun as much as possible, especially in the middle of the day. But I know this isn't always easy to enforce.

You must get immediate medical advice. Heat stroke or potential heat stroke is very dangerous especially in young children. Also if her head is so burnt she needs to be seen. You must stress to whoever you speak to the severity of the situation.

I have had very mild heatstroke in the past and it makes you feel very very unwell indeed.

You need to take her to A&E and get her looked at now. Sunstroke is very dangerous for children, they require urgent treatment. Don't leave it and don't try to treat this yourself.

yep agree with everyone else! nhs direct

maybe worth investing in a gazebo or something for the garden so that they are in the shade
i think we all have a lot to learn from the spanish etc who take a siesta over the hottest part of the day!!!

Have you rung for medical advice?

Hope all is OK.

A & E please

Sunstroke is very dangerous in babies she needs to be seen. All day in the sun and burnt skin needs immediate attention

Strip her down and if you have any aloe vera gel please pat it onto her skin very gently but don't distress her. Try everything you can do to keep her calm as it is possible she could go into shock.

I have some experience of this in witnessing a friend, I really hope she is ok.

Just wondering how your baby is - hope she feels better today

Any news?

Hello all.

NHS Direct last night, told me to just "keep an eye on her", as her temp had gone down to 37 by the time they called me back. We stripped her to her nappy, gave her cool water to sip and put our fan in her room. She slept OK but then was sick again 5.10am. It was all water, so got her into bed with us, checked her temp and it was normal. She was laughing and giggling, so we all went back to sleep when she did. Then woke everyone at 7am. Gave DD a slice of toast, she seemed ok. No milk though, just lots of water. Fast forward to 8.30am, on bus with DS, doing school run. DD vomits everywhere, all over self, buggy, bus floor. When got home called NHS Direct again and now they say it's a bug as her temp is normal and she is otherwise OK. Herhead is much less red, but I have COVERED it in baby aftersn about 5 times since last night.

So HOPEFULLY everything will be OK.

Thanks everyone.

Hi
I work for NHS Direct and was very interested in your outcome. We never get to here the outcomes unless it is via a complaint not a lot of job satisfaction in that respect.!
Incidentally, you dont need sunburn to get sunstroke, though it doesnt help! It is when the body gets so overheated/dehydrated that the ability to temperature control is lost.
Briefly temp 40C, shivering and chills, headache, vomiting def A&E, as can be life threatening

beammeupscotty - What a nice job it must be most of the time though! I have only ever had one bad experience with NHS Direct, each time before or since, they have been fantastic. Very helpful. We sort of deal with you guys via work too, I work at a hospital.

DD back to her normal self I think. Enough to have had a good old tantrum today already!

Thanks lots for your reply