ST. LOUIS – As many students across our area get ready to head back to school, the summer heat is making a dangerous return.
DJ Howard and Orion Castillo go back to class on Monday. Their family brought them out to Hyde Park for WEPOWER’s Selfcare Sunday event.
They say the weather was perfect for some yoga and setting some positive intentions for the new school year.
“This is just kicking our weekend off to transition into that more routine time in our lives,” Arion Castillo said.
Organizers from WEPOWER say this was another successful three-day event.
“We have very busy lives that keep us in work and keep us in classrooms; so grateful that the weather cooperated; grateful for the trees, for giving us shade; grateful for the tents and the people that set them up,” Paula-Breonne Vickers, early childhood organizer of WEPOWER, said.
Dr. Farzana Hoque, an associate professor at St. Louis University School of Medicine, says as families get into their back-to-school routines, it’s important to factor in the excessive heat in the forecast.
Essentially, in these high temperatures, all kids are vulnerable,” Hoque said. “There are some group of kids who are much more vulnerable than others.”
Dr. Hoque says it’s important for everyone to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Dress your kids in light-colored clothes made of a breathable material such as cotton, and limit their time outdoors during the hottest times of the day, which is typically between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Look out for signs of heat-related illnesses, which typically start with a muscle cramp.
“(During) that time, it is very important to take them to a cool place and give them water,” Hoque said. “If it is not addressed well, this heat exhaustion can progress to a heat stroke, which is a life-threatening medical emergency.”
Meanwhile, DJ and Orion’s family is staying active together, but they’re prepared to take precautions with the brutally hot temperatures on the way.
For more information about handling this heatwave and red flags to look out for, click here.