Children in Sauna: Cardiovascular Adjustment

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Abstract
Children''s circulatory adjustment to a 10-minute heat stress in a climatic chamber was studied in 61 children and 20 adolescents and younger adults. The thermal conditions corresponded to those of an ordinary Finnish sauna bath. In all subjects the rectal temperature and heart rate increased during the heart exposed (P < .001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures remained unchanged in sauna, but the systolic and especially the diastolic blood pressure decreased (P < .001) in children less than 10 years of age immediately after the heat exposure; two vasovagal collapses developed. Cardiac output increased in all but the less than 5-year-old children (P < .001). This was due to a significant decrease in stroke volume (32.9%) (P < .001) in children less than 5 years old. Stroke volume declined slightly even in the older subjects. These changes indicate that the Finnish sauna bath puts great demands on a child''s circulatory regulation. To avoid possible cardiovascular side effects, particularly small children should be supervised carefully during sauna bathing.

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