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Irish Mirror
Irish Mirror
National
David Kent

Parents warned against covering their child's pram during heatwave over heat stroke fears

A GP has warned parents not to do one specific thing that they might consider will keep a young child or a baby cool in the upcoming heatwave.

Ireland is set to see temperatures rocket up to nearly 30C this weekend, having only broken a record for the hottest day in the last 170 years last month.

That will bring many problems, be it water issues to potential swimming hazards, but one that will worry parents in particular is their young baby or toddler overheating and getting sunstroke while in a pram or a buggy.

READ MORE: RTE and Met Eireann forecaster Joanna Donnelly gives surprising advice to keep your bed cold at night during heatwave

Silhouette of a woman walking with a stroller. (Getty)

Often, in a hot spell, you'll see new mothers and fathers prop something over the top of their pram openings like a towel or perhaps a t-shirt.

They believe that this will give the wee one inside some shade - but that is not the case.

Dr Amy Morgan, a leading GP in Louth, was interviewed on RTÉ radio's Today with Claire Byrne Show (which Philip Boucher-Hayes is currently standing in on) to explain.

A man lays on the sand under a parasol as a boy walks with a stroller on the beach during a heatwave (Getty)

Responding to Philips' question about whether we should be treating babies like the elderly - keeping them out of the sun at peak times -, Dr Morgan said: "Absolutely if possible. It's difficult, you're out and about and it's making sure you do as best possible - seek the shade, keep an eye on signs for dehydration.

"The other thing is people trying to seek shade and a cloth gets popped over the buggy. I would discourage that because what that does is actually increase the temperature in the pram or the buggy and that can have adverse effects for the little one inside.

It comes as an overall advisory for warmer conditions remains in place, having been introduced on Sunday - that's set to go until Monday morning at the earliest.

The current models show Ireland could have a record-breaking weekend (Alan O'Reilly/CarlowWeather)

Met Eireann has warned that the rising heat may lead to heat stress, especially for the more vulnerable of the population, high solar UV index and risk of water related incidents.

The warning will come into effect at 12pm Thursday and will remain until 6am on Sunday.

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