Despite differences in heat dissipation, children's temperature regulation during heat stress is similar to adults' - a systematic review.

Abstract

Despite numerous studies on children's thermoregulation, there is limited collective evidence on thermoregulatory function and its outcomes in children. We aimed to systematically review the existing evidence on the thermoregulatory function during heat stress in children, specifically as compared with adults. Electronic databases were searched for studies assessing core temperature (Tc), sweating rate (SR), and skin blood flow (SkBF) in children and adults. Of the 4683 studies initially screened, 22 met the eligibility criteria, which included 507 research participants (20% female). Of 19 studies that reported Tc, 5 studies reported significantly higher resting and final Tc in children, but the change in Tc was not different between groups in any of the studies. In 19 of 22 studies that examined SR, 16 studies reported significantly lower (13-74%) SR per surface area (or per gland, or absolute) in children compared to adults, while 3 studies reported no significant difference between groups. Of 10 studies that examined SkBF, 7 studies reported higher SkBF in children compared to adults in the chest and/or forearm (16-83%), 2 studies reported lower SkBF in children (in the forearm and finger), and 3 studies reported no group differences in SkBF. In summary, data show similar body temperature regulation in children and adults, despite different use of means of heat dissipation. Inconsistencies among studies reporting differences in heat dissipation between children and adults may be related to differing states of training or acclimatization, as well as to the lack of systematic examination of thermoregulation in girls and women.