Now that we are ‘enjoying’ warmer temperatures, we need to pay some attention to ourselves, as well as our little ones, when we are spending time outdoors. Heat emergencies, such as Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke, are silent emergencies that can sneak up on you. We are usually fairly responsible about putting sunscreen on ourselves and our children, but that only extends the amount of time we can be in the sun without getting sunburned. Sunscreen does nothing to regulate your body temperature. The reality is, allowing your body temperature to get too high can be a serious, even life threatening emergency.
Heat-related illness usually comes in stages. The signal of the first stage is heat cramps in muscles. These cramps can be very painful. If you are caring for a person who has heat cramps, have him or her stop activity and rest. If the person is fully awake and alert, have him or her drink small amounts of cool water or a commercial sports drink. Gently stretch the cramped muscle and hold the stretch for about 20 seconds, then gently massage the muscle. Repeat these steps if necessary. If the victim has no other signals of heat-related illness, the person may resume activity after the cramps stop.
The signals of the next, more serious stage of a heat-related illness (often called heat exhaustion, which is defined as a body temperature up to 104 degrees) include:
* Cool, moist, pale skin (the skin may be red right after physical activity, and this is to be expected, but should subside after a short period of rest in a cool environment)
* Headache
* Dizziness and weakness or exhaustion
* Nausea
* The skin may or may not feel hot
Someone who is experiencing heat exhaustion should be moved indoors and/or to a cooler environment. Add moisture to their skin (like pouring or spraying water on them), to create an evaporation (cooling) effect, and have them evaluated by a medical professional.
The signals of the late stage of a heat-related illness (often called heat stroke, which is defines as a body temperature at or above 105 degrees) include–
* Vomiting
* Decreased alertness level or complete loss of consciousness
* High body temperature (hot to the touch)
* Skin may still be moist or the victim may stop sweating and the skin may be red, hot and dry
* Rapid, weak pulse
* Rapid, shallow breathing.
This late stage of a heat-related illness (heat stroke) is life threatening. Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number, and get them to an emergency room.
Above all, take sensible precautions when it is warm outside, especially on high humidity days. Keep plenty of fluids with you, and drink lots of water. If you spend time outdoors, these are critical steps to ensuring a happy and healthy summer.
