"Heat" and "sun" are two words that are used together a lot during the summer. Most of us know the damage that sun can do, from burns to premature aging to cancer risks. While heat is generated by the sun, it doesn't have to be sunny for the heat to cause ill health or even death. So even on those cloudy days, staying cool and hydrated is very important.
Heat exhaustion can cause body temperature to rise as high as 102 degrees. According to a USA Today article, "losing fluid and salt through perspiration or replacing them in an imbalanced way can lead to dizziness and weakness." Heat exhaustion is particularly difficult for the very young and old, and can require medical care.
As with many extreme conditions, heat is particularly dangerous for the very young, the very old and people who already have compromised health.
Heatstroke is something that can happen to anyone and involves the temperature of the body rising due to the temperature from the heat of the day. Heatstroke can be fatal because it can lead to unconsciousness due to these huge temperature gains and causes the body to shut down.
Signs are fatigue and confusion. Medical care is almost always needed. With heatstroke, body temperatures can rise to a potentially deadly 105 degrees. If heatstroke is suspected, getting to a hospital is highly advised.
There are other concerns about heat that don't include the outdoors. Children die every summer from being trapped in cars and dying from the heat that increases almost as soon as the car stops running. Kids and Cars.org state that on average, 38 children will die every year from being trapped in hot cars.
Children have died from the searing heat of a closed and non-running car in hot weather. Many other children have close calls, becoming extremely sick from being left alone in hot cars.
Kids and Cars recommends always checking to make sure everyone is out after arriving at a destination, locking the car straight away and always checking a car or trunk as soon as a child is missed.
People living in homes without air conditioning or fans also face potential dangers.
During very hot periods, it's a good idea to check in on elderly neighbors to make sure they are keeping cool. If they are not, invite them to a place with air conditioning (most TV stations around the country announce "cooling centers" during heat waves) or to a neighborhood home.
Families can also make use of these centers as well as public swimming pools with shady areas. Libraries are also great (and free!) places to cool off and keep busy. Keeping the home cool by drawing curtains and shades during the day can help as well as using cross breezes when available. Use fans whenever possible.
Following the above tips and keeping well hydrated can be the difference between finding the intense summer heat merely uncomfortable rather than unbearable. Knowing what to do in advance can end misery quickly and prevent serious sickness, or worse.
SOURCES:
USA Today.com. Weather. "Understanding hot weather and its dangers."
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/weather/wheat1.htm
KidsandCars.org. CHILD VEHICULAR HEAT STROKE SUMMARY. Web. Retrieved June 25th, 2013.
http://www.kidsandcars.org/userfiles/dangers/heat-stroke-fact-sheet.pdf
Reviewed June 27, 2013
by Michele Blacksberg RN
Edited by Jody Smith