Amidst rising temperature, Tamil Nadu doctor share tips for pregnant women, newborn babies
Salem: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued warnings of heat wave to severe heat wave conditions across various regions, including Gangetic West Bengal, Sub Himalayan West Bengal, north Odisha, East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rayalaseema, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, and Kerala for April 27 to 28.
IMD, in a post of X on Friday said, “Heat wave to severe heat wave conditions very likely in many pockets of Gangetic West Bengal, in isolated pockets of Sub Himalayan West Bengal, few pockets of north Odisha and heat wave conditions very likely in East Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Rayalaseema, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry & Karaikal, Kerala & Mahe and interior Karnataka for April 27 and April 28.”
In an interview with ANI, Dr Anusuya, who is a child specialist at Arogya Women Centre in Tamil Nadu’s Salem shared tips to cope and stay safe in extreme heat and ways of taking care of pregnant women, newborn babies and young kids.
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“They should wear only cotton garments and should avoid coming out of their houses during 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. They should try to intake more fluids in the form of buttermilk or tender coconut water and increase the consumption of water-containing fruits like cucumber and watermelon. It is important for them to increase their water intake to maintain the fluid content in their uterus also,” Dr Anusuya told ANI.
She further added, “Excessive sweat can lead to skin problems like fungal infections. And therefore, they should wear cotton clothes.”
For newborn babies, Dr Anusuya advises mothers to notice how much urine the baby is passing in a day. “Excessive sweat can cause skin problems and dehydration. So, it’s important for the mothers to notice how much urine the baby passes in a day. If the baby doesn’t pass urine for more than a day, then the baby is dehydrated,” she said.
The doctor also has advised mothers to make their babies wear only cotton clothes and bath them twice or thrice a day.
Regarding young children, the doctor cautioned against outdoor activities during peak heat hours (10:00 am to 4:00 pm). Instead, she suggested indoor play or staying in shaded areas, coupled with increased water intake to prevent dehydration.
“They should either play indoors or play in the shade and should increase the intake of water,” she said.
The IMD has also said that heat wave to severe heat wave conditions is likely to continue over East and South peninsular India for the next five days.
