Doctor warns parents about open windows, dehydration hazards for children during heat wave

Experts are warning parents to closely monitor their children indoors during hot weather, with heat-related illness and falls from windows posing risks in the home.

Just one emergency room in B.C. says it's seen 12 children so far this year who have been hurt after falling out of a window.

"This is an outcome we should completely avoid and one child is is too many," said Dr. Ran Goldman, a pediatric emergency physician at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver. 

"So far we've had 12 this year. Fortunately they were treated and were able to go home."

With many people opening windows in their homes during hotter weather, Goldman says those windows should be reinforced and children should be supervised when near them.

"Parents need to be very vigilant. What they can do is make sure to lock the window so it's not open all the way to make sure that a child's body can't get through. The other thing to do is is to make sure that there is no furniture or anything children can climb on and get to the seal of the window," he said.

"Those screens that we put to prevent insects from coming in, those are absolutely not enough to prevent falls."

Last summer, a Langley family shared the terrifying experience of their two-year-old daughter falling out of the third-floor window of their home. 

Taryn Lim was airlifted to Children's Hospital, with several injuries including a broken leg, cracked jaw and she lost two teeth.

While she was able to make a full recovery, her father Sean Lim shared his family's experience in an effort to warn families of the risks open windows can pose. 

"I used to criticize people who didn't watch their kids, but this can happen to anybody," Lim said at the time.

Heat-related illness

Goldman says as the heat wave continues through the week, parents should also keep a close eye on possible signs pointing to distress caused by the heat.

Dehydration is a particular concern, he says, and parents should look out for symptoms including cracked lips, headache and dizziness. 

"One sign that parents must look for is the amount of urine children have. Whether the diaper is completely dry, children aren't able to urinate, or changes in the colour of their urine, those are important signs to look for," he added.

There are several ways to prevent heat exhaustion in children, he says, including keeping them out of the afternoon heat and drinking plenty of water.

"If they do play outdoors, do it early in the day or late in the day when it's not so hot. Not everyone has air conditioning at home, and if it's really hot a library or a community centre with air conditioning would be a great time," Goldman said.