Beat the Heat: Heat Illness in Children It has been an extremely
hot summer so far in all parts of the United States. Record
highs are being set all over the country. Today we will discuss
exertional heat illness in children so you can be better
prepared to identify and prevent this in our children as they
continue to be active throughout the summer months. Why is
temperature regulation important? Our bodies are made to
function at an optimal core temperature of 98.6°F (37°C). The
“thermal neutral” zone in which we operate is 36.5 – 37.5°C .
When the temperature deviates too much from that, temperature
sensitive structures such as body enzymes and other proteins
begin to denature, and essential processes start to fail.
Extreme cold slows down metabolic processes and at temperatures
below 33°C we lose consciousness. In extreme heat, temperatures
above 42°C are not compatible with life. How do we temperature
regulate? Even without activity, our body is generating heat at
a rate that would increase our core temp