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Focus on Heat-Related Illness
 Your health care expert is Mark Grier, M.D. Pediatrics, ARC Quarry Lake
It's hot, how can you stay active and be safe?
Dr. Grier encourages coaches, athletes, and students exercising outside to be careful about heat-related illness during the ongoing Central Texas heat. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that there are almost 6,000 ER visits each year for sports and recreation heat illnesses.
"Pace your activities, drink more water than usual, exercise earlier or later in the day when it's cooler, and rest in the shade or indoors," Dr. Grier recommends. "Be smart and stay cool!"
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Back-To-School Tips to Stay Healthy!
School is back in session, and with it, the opportunity for more illnesses and minor injuries as kids spend time in close quarters with their classmates and participate in sports, marching band, or other school activities.
Be sure your child is ready. Here are a few tips from Elizabeth Knapp, MD, Pediatrics, ARC Far West:
- Get a Check Up. An annual well-check or physical exam up is a must! A full exam includes growth and nutrition monitoring, developmental assessments, family history screening, and those all-important immunization updates.
- Immunize. It's more than just a school requirement. Immunizations provide the most effective protection against a number of diseases like measles, whooping cough, mumps, meningitis, tetanus, and hepatitis. And be sure you and your child get the flu vaccine each season as recommended by the CDC.
- Eat healthfully. Pay attention to what's on the school cafeteria menu, and pack lunches with healthy foods such as fresh fruit, carrot sticks, and sandwiches that include protein and veggies. Be sure to add an ice pack or two to keep foods at safe temperatures.
- Lighten the load. Be sure your child doesn't have too much weight in his/her backpack. Experts recommend that kids carry packs of no more than 10-15% of their body weight - less is always better - and wear the backpack correctly.
- Sleep. It's important! Summer's over, and so are the long summer nights staying up late. Children of all ages need adequate sleep to stay alert and healthy. School-age children and pre-teens need 10-12 hours of sleep each night, while teens need 8-9 hours. (Parents, too, need enough sleep!)
- Stay safe in the heat. With extreme heat still in Central Texas, kids need to be careful when outside for school sports or other activities, such as band practice. Take plenty of shade breaks, hydrate well and often (water is best), limit the duration of outdoor activity, and watch for signs of heat exhaustion, like cramps, dizziness, or headaches.
Dr. Knapp reminds you that healthy children learn better, play better, and enjoy life more. Have a safe and healthy school year!
 Dr. Elizabeth Knapp
ARC Far West
6835 Austin Center Blvd.
Austin, TX 78731
(512) 346-6611
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Austin Regional Clinic
P.O. Box 26726
Austin, Texas 78755-0726
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