There are three problems people can have in hot weather. These conditions are largely brought on by heat and

dehydration and with proper care it is possible to prevent them.

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps are muscle contractions, usually in the gastrocnemius or hamstring muscles (the muscles at the back of the calves). These contractions are forceful and painful.

These cramps seem to be connected to heat, dehydration, and poor conditioning, rather than to lack of salt or other mineral

imbalances. They usually improve with rest, drinking water, and a cool environment.

Heat Exhaustion

Although partly due to exhaustion -- and feeling like exhaustion, as the name implies -- heat exhaustion is also a result of

excessive heat and dehydration. The signs of heat exhaustion include paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fainting, and a

moderately increased temperature (101-101 degrees F) which, in this case, is not truly a fever, but caused by the heat. Rest

and water may help in mild heat exhaustion, and ice packs and a cool environment (fanning the athlete) may also help. More

severely exhausted patients may need IV fluids, especially if vomiting keeps them from drinking enough.

Heat Stroke

If your child has these symptoms, stop right here and call your doctor or EMS. Heat stroke is a medical emergency!

Heat stroke is the most severe form of heat illness. It can occur even in people who are not exercising, if the weather is hot

enough. These people have warm, flushed skin, and do not sweat. Athletes who have heat stroke after vigorous exercise in

hot weather, though, may still be sweating considerably. Whether exercise-related or not, though, a person with heat

usually has a very high temperature (106 degrees F or higher), and may be delirious, unconscious, or having seizures.

These patients need to have their temperature reduced quickly, often with ice packs, and must also be given IV fluids for

rehydration; they must be taken to the hospital as quickly as possible (EMS is appropriate here), and may have to stay in the

hospital for observation since many different body organs can fail in heat stroke.

Preventing Heat-Related Illnesses

It is possible to prevent heat-related illnesses. The important thing is to stay well-hydrated, to make sure that your body

can get rid of extra heat, and to be sensible about exertion in hot, humid weather.

 

Your sweat is your body's main system for getting rid of extra heat. When you sweat, and the water evaporates from your skin,

the heat that evaporates the sweat comes mainly from your skin. As long as blood is flowing properly to your skin, extra heat

from the core of your body is "pumped" to the skin and removed by sweat evaporation. If you do not sweat enough, you

cannot get rid of extra heat well, and you also can't get rid of heat as well if blood is not flowing to the skin. Dehydration

will make it harder for you to cool of in two ways: if you are dehydrated you won't sweat as much, and your body will try to keep

blood away from the skin to keep your blood pressure at the right level in the core of your body. But, since you lose water

when you sweat, you must make up that water to keep from becoming dehydrated. If the air is humid, it's harder for your

sweat to evaporate -- this means that your body cannot get rid of extra heat as well when it's muggy as it can when it's relatively dry.

 

The best fluid to drink when you are sweating is water. Although there is a little salt in your sweat, you don't really lose

that much salt with your sweat, except in special circumstances. Taking salt tablets may raise your body's sodium level

to hazardous levels. (Your doctor can tell you whether or not you need extra salt.) "Sport drinks" such as Gatorade® are fine,

too.

 

It's also important to be sensible about how much you exert yourself in hot weather. The hotter and more humid it is, the

harder it will be for you to get rid of excess heat. The clothing you wear makes a difference, too: the less clothing you have

on, and the lighter that clothing is, the easier you can cool off. Football players are notoriously prone to heat illness, since

football uniforms cover nearly the whole body. In general, teams should consider limiting practice and wearing light clothing

for practice on very hot days, and athletes should be able to drink all the water they want and made to drink frequently during

practice and games.