Heat Exhaustion

By Alice Knight from Hardenhuish school - work experience student

Currently in Europe they are experiencing extreme heat and the UK may experience a rise in temperatures over the coming weeks, this means there could be a rise in numbers of people suffering with heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion is a condition where someone is exposed to high temperatures for a long period of time. If left untreated it can lead to heat stroke.

Children, older people, and people with long term health conditions (such as diabetes and heart problems) are more at risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. If you have children, older relatives or know people that have health conditions make sure they are drinking enough water and staying cool. You can also check on neighbours to make sure they are coping in the heat.

Signs of heat exhaustion:

• Tiredness

• Dizziness

• Headache

• Feeling sick or being sick

• Fast breathing or heartbeat

• Excessive sweating

• Skin becoming pale and clammy or getting a heat rash, but a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown or black skin colour.

• High temperature

• Being very thirsty

• Weakness

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion, they need to be cooled down and given fluids such as cool water and sit them in a cool place and keep watch of them to make sure that their condition does not worsen.

Things you can do to cool them down:

• Move them to a cool place such as a shaded area.

• Remove unnecessary clothing such as socks or jacket to bring there temperature down.

• Get them to drink a sport, rehydration drink or cool water.

• Cool their skin with spray or sponge them with cool water or fan them.

• Stay with them until they’re better they should start to feel better within 30 minutes.

Contact 111 -  if  you or someone else have symptoms of heat exhaustion that you are struggling to treat or need advice about.

Call 999 if you have the following:

• Still unwell after 30 minutes of resting in a cool place, drinking fluids.

• A very high temperature

• Hot skin that is not sweating and might look red (this can be harder to see on brown or black skin)

• A fast heartbeat

• A seizure or fit

• Loss of consciousness

• Confusion and lack of coordination

Preventing heat exhaustion:

There is a high risk of heat exhaustion or heat stroke during hot weather or exercise. To help prevent heat exhaustion or heatstroke you should:

• Drink more cold drinks especially if you are active or exercising.

• Wear light colour clothing, loos clothing

• Avoid the sun between 11am-3pm

• Avoid excessive alcohol.

• If you are inside on a very hot day, close curtains, and windows if it is hotter outside them inside your home.