Health officials warn of heat-related illnesses during summer season

By Jason E. Silvers

The Fort Scott Tribune

As hot summer temperatures start to become more common, it is also time to use extra precautions in order to avoid heat-related illnesses.

Bourbon County Public Health Nurse Alice Maffett, who works with the Southeast Kansas Multi-County Health Department, said there are several key safety tips area residents should follow to protect themselves from severely hot temperatures.

"I think the most important thing is that people should stay hydrated, and drink plenty of fluids," Maffett said.

In order to stay cool during hot outdoor weather this summer, people should focus on wearing lightweight clothing and hats to protect the head, the face, and the neck from the sun's rays. People who participate often in outdoor activities, including people who work outdoors, should also remember to take frequent breaks, Maffett said.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is another state agency that is reminding people to protect themselves during hot summer weather.

"When temperatures start to rise, it's important to know how to protect yourself and others, especially those who are at greater risk of heat-related illness," state health officer and KDHE Health Division Director Howard Rodenberg said. "If you have a friend, relative or neighbor who doesn't have air conditioning, now would be a good time to talk with them about getting into a cooler place."

People who face the highest risk of heat-related illness include infants and young children up to four years of age, adults over 65 years of age, people who have chronic medical conditions such as heart disease or obesity, those taking certain medications, and people who work or exercise in extreme heat.

Heat-related illness is always a concern during hot weather, and may be characterized as heat stress, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Symptoms of heat stress includes faintness, painful muscle spasms and cramps, along with prickly heat caused by a skin rash from clogged pores. Heat stress is caused by loss of fluids and minerals in the body needed for proper muscle function.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion, which is a more serious condition, include headache, dizziness, clammy skin, muscle fatigue, chest pain, breathing problems and nausea. Medical attention is necessary if these conditions persist.

Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition that should be considered an emergency. Symptoms of heat stroke include headache, hot and dry skin, a temperature of 103 degrees or higher, rapid and shallow breathing, disorientation and changes in consciousness. The person should be cooled quickly with cold, wet sheets or a cool bath and taken to the nearest hospital, according to KDHE.

KDHE recommends the following tips in order for people to minimize the risk of heat-related illness:

* Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages, which dehydrate the body. Drink at least a gallon of water a day when spending time outdoors.

* Wear loose and light-colored clothing.

* Children who play outdoors should be lightly dressed, take frequent breaks indoors, and drink plenty of fluids. A child should never be left in a hot, closed car or near a sunny window. Also, young children should wear a sunscreen of SPF 50 to reduce the risk of sunburn. Infants should have very little or no contact with sunlight.

* Friends, relatives and neighbors of elderly people should periodically visit them during the summer months and take them to a cooler environment if needed.

* Take cool showers.

* Take frequent breaks to cool off.

* Eat light meals like fruit and salads. Eat apricots, bananas, cantaloupes, oranges, beans, broccoli, potatoes and tomatoes to increase potassium.

* Schedule outdoor activities for the morning and evening hours, but avoid dawn and dusk due to the risk of mosquito-borne illnesses. When outdoors, try to stay in the shade.

* Use sunscreen and other measures such as wearing sunglasses to limit ultraviolet radiation.

* Create airflow in hot indoor work areas.

* Spend a large amount of time indoors and in air-conditioned rooms. Those who do not have air conditioners may go to the local health department, senior citizen center, hospital or Red Cross center during a heat wave. Basements are also usually cooler than ground-level floors.

More information on dealing with extreme summer heat can be found online at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Website, www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.asp.

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Staying informed, protected when the mercury rises

Temperatures above 90 degrees, especially when accompanied with high humidity, can cause many medical problems such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and heart failure. People who are feeling hot and uncomfortable should use caution, common sense and take steps to avoid heat stress.

When the weather outside heats up, take the temperature and heat index into account when planning daily outdoor activities. Direct sunshine can increase heat index values by up to 15 degrees. Strong, hot dry winds are also very dangerous. Sweat does nothing to cool the body unless the water is removed by evaporation -- and high humidity can hinder this process.

The heat index is a combination of the current outdoor temperature and the relative humidity, or the amount of moisture present in the air. The higher the outdoor temperature and relative humidity, the greater the heat index and the more at risk people and pets are to suffer from heat exhaustion.

If the heat index value is above 105 degrees, the National Weather Service will issue a heat advisory, and special precautions are necessary. The National Oceanic Atmospheric Association (NOAA) has also designed a heat index chart that provides general guidelines for assessing the potential severity of heat stress.

The chart can be viewed online at www.weather.gov/os/heat/

index.shtml.