Heat-Related Emergency Department Visits for Children Have Increased
By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter
.jpg?width=1200)
THURSDAY, July 17, 2025 -- Heat-related emergency department visits for children increased from 2012 to 2023, according to a study recently published in Academic Pediatrics.
Taylor A. Merritt, M.D., from the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, and colleagues assessed heat-related pediatric emergency department diagnoses from May to September from 2012 to 2023.
The researchers found that aggregate heat-related illness encounters, as a proportion of total emergency department encounters, significantly increased 170 percent from 2012 (4.3 per 10,000) to 2023 (11.6 per 10,000). Summer months, with higher peak temperatures, were significantly associated with higher heat-related emergency department volume (R2 = 0.44). For most heat-specific encounters, patients were discharged from the emergency department (96 percent), while most rhabdomyolysis encounters resulted in admission (63 percent).
"This research strengthens the evidence linking extreme heat to pediatric health risks, helping define the burden and inform future prevention strategies," Merritt said in a statement. "By identifying trends and demographic patterns, the study raises awareness among clinicians and caregivers to better recognize and protect children at increased risk."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2025
Read this next
Heart Disease Mortality Increases With Combined Day-Night Heatwaves
TUESDAY, April 15, 2025 -- Exposure-response curves reveal the impacts of daytime-only, nighttime-only, and compound heatwaves on cause-specific heart disease mortality, according...
Proportion of Pediatric Fatalities From Weather Events Increasing
TUESDAY, Feb. 11, 2025 -- The proportion of pediatric fatalities from weather events is increasing, according to a study published online Feb. 11 in Pediatrics. Caroline Q...
Temperature Exposure Linked to Adolescent Psychiatric Symptoms
FRIDAY, Jan. 31, 2025 -- Exposure to cold in the Netherlands and to heat in Spain appears to be associated with more psychiatric symptoms among adolescents, according to a study...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.