Communities across the Mahoning Valley will experience extreme heat throughout the day on Monday. Akron Children's Hospital has offered some tips on how to keep cool and stay safe during the heatwave.

Dr. Alex Miskit from Akron Children's says during extreme heat, children should avoid direct sunlight if possible, but while they are enjoying the hot weather, children should should drink a glass of water before starting their outdoor activities and then take a water break every 15 to 20 minutes.

However, if your child is under six months old, they should not be given any water and instead drink either formula or breast milk.

Children between the ages of six months to one year old should have no more than four to eight ounces of water a day, children between one and three years old needs around four cups of liquid, children between four and eight years old need five cups and children age eight and beyond need eight cups.

In terms of what liquid to drink, Dr. Miskit always recommends water unless your child is sweating excessively, in which case a sports drink would be a better option.

If you don't have air conditioning in your home, you can head over to your local pool or splash pad, or an air-conditioned place like a mall or a movie theater. You can also use a fan to keep yourself cool at home.

If you believe your child is overheated, there are some symptoms to look out for like cool moist skin with goosebumps, heavy sweating, feeling faint, dizzy of fatigue, a weak rapid pulse and muscle cramps.

If you notice these signs, you should get your child to a cool place to rest and give them cold water or sports drinks to drink. You can also loosen their clothing or place a cool washrag on their forehead or the back of their neck.

If your child exhibits any of the following symptoms, you should call your pediatrician immediately:

- Feeling faint

-  Extreme tiredness

- Headache

- Fever

- Intense thirst

- Not urinating for many hours

- Nausea 

- Vomiting

- Breathing faster or deeper than normal

- Skin numbness or tingling

- Muscle aches

- Muscle spasms

Children aren't the only ones vulnerable to the extreme heat though. Athletes should also take extra measures to keep themselves cool and safe during a heatwave.

Certain factors put athletes at greater risk for heat-related illnesses including:

- A history of heat illnesses

- Lack of proper hydration

- Sleep deprivation

- Training during the hottest hours of the day

- Wearing additional equipment (helmets, pads, etc.)

- Increased stress levels

- Low physical fitness or high BMI

- Improper work/rest cycles during workouts

- Use of diuretics (coffee, energy drinks, antihistamines, etc.)

Dr. Zaid Khatib with Akron Children's recommends athletes combat heat-related illness by doing the following things:

- Drink plenty of liquids before, during and after activities

- Avoid intense outdoor activities during the hottest hours of the day

- Take frequent breaks and go indoors or find a cool place as soon as you feel overheated

- Place a cool towel around your neck after intense activities to lower body temperature

- Recognize early signs of heat-related illness

The three most common types of heat-related illnesses are exercise-associated muscle cramps, heat exhaustion and exertional heat stroke.

Exercise-associated muscle cramps occur suddenly or are sometimes progressive, involuntary painful contractions of muscles during or after exercise. Other symptoms may include thirst, fatigue or sweating.

Heat exhaustion occurs when an athlete has difficulty exercising effectively due to a combination of high temperatures, excessive sweating and inadequate fluid and salt replacement. Symptoms include:

- Core body temperature below 105 degrees

- Excessive fatigue

- Mild headache, dizziness, confusion, etc.

- Weakness or poor muscle coordination

- Nausea/vomiting

- Low blood pressure

Exertional heat stroke occurs when the body's heat regulating system is overwhelmed by excessive heat. This is a life-threatening emergency and requires immediate medical attention and rapid cooling. Symptoms include:

- Core body temperature above 105 degrees

- Extreme difficulty or inability to continue participating

- Collapse, confusion, seizures, altered consciousness, combative, irritable

- Increased heart rate

- Low blood pressure

- Rapid breathing

- Hot, wet or dry skin

Heat-related dangers aren't limited to humans either. Just like humans, animals can suffer from heatstroke and illness due to heat. Animal experts in the Valley told 21 News some ways to keep our furry friends safe in the heat

Since concrete can get extremely hot, it can burn or cause pain to paws. You can protect the paws of your animal by taking caution on walks.

Diane Less from Angels for Animals tells 21 News since paws burn more quickly than human skin.

"Put yourself in your dog's paws. Think about how it would feel walking on the concrete in your bare feet,” Less, Angels for Animals. 

Animal Charity Coordinator Jane MacMurchy adds that it's better to walk your dog early in the morning or in the evening after the sun goes down and that if you you see an animal suffering from the heat, you might save a life if you take action right away. 

"If your animal lives on a chain, you must bring your animal in due to the weather advisory. If you see a dog suffering on a chain during the extreme heat, call 911. Tethering is part of the ordinances that each township is responsible for,” MacMurchy added. 

Animals can easily overheat, so it's crucial to keep your pets cool at all times. 

Corey Behnke, chief dog warden of Trumbull County tells 21 News pet owners should keep their pets in an air conditioned environment if accessible.

“Consider purchasing a doggie pool to fill with water and ice. Pet owners can create cooling pads for their animals by wetting a towel and putting it in the freezer," Behnke said.

Less also reminds pet owners not to overfeed their pets during the extreme heat due to stomach issues and supply plenty of water.