How to keep kids cool when climate change turns up the heat

RENO, Nev. — With extreme weather becoming the new normal, it’s not just adults who need to prepare. Children, with their underdeveloped systems, are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, especially during early summer when extreme weather is more prevalent.

Dr. Debra Hendrickson, a pediatrician in Reno, Nevada, the fastest-warming city in the United States, shared some vital tips on keeping kids safe amid climate change. “Exposure to extreme heat can damage the central nervous system, the brain, and other vital organs,” she said. “The effects can set in with terrifying speed, resulting in heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heatstroke.”

Dr. Hendrickson, who is also the author of “The Air They Breathe,” a book on climate change’s impacts on children, and a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of preparation. She lectures on how early childhood experiences affect long-term health, highlighting the need for awareness and proactive measures to protect young ones from the harsh realities of climate change.