Q: I never understood how dangerous high temperatures and humidity could be until I collapsed with heat exhaustion. How can I protect myself and my kids? -- Diana R., Dallas A: It’s all too easy to experience heat-related problems these days. Heat-related visits to the emergency room are about twice as frequent so far this year in the Southwest, Hawaii, and mid-Atlantic areas of the country as they were last year. And heat-related deaths went up from around 1,602 in 2021 to 2,302 in 2023. Heat stroke is now ranked the No. 3 cause of death of high school athletes in the U.S. And heat is especially risky for younger athletes because they sweat less and create more heat per body mass. Clearly, it’s a health crisis that everyone should pay attention to.
There are three ways that extreme heat can KO kids and adults: 1. It can cause heatstroke, sending your temperature soaring to 104 degrees or above. That makes the body redirect blood flow to the skin to try to cool you down. If not treated quickly, there can be multiple organ failure.
2. Excessive heat can also cause blood pressure to drop; people with heart conditions are especially vulnerable.
3. Dehydration is another risky result. Unchecked, it can progress into shock and organ failure.
For young athletes, workouts should happen in cooler morning and evening hours. During practices and games, there should be a certified athletic trainer on-site to look for signs of heat exhaustion and treat it immediately. The locker room should have an ice bath to lower body temperature quickly. For hydration, they should drink around 16 ounces of water per hour of athletics PLUS an 8-ounce electrolyte drink every 30 minutes.
For adults, use your head! Don’t workout in high-heat environments, stay hydrated, and be aware that antidepressants, antipsychotics, antihistamines, beta blockers and anticholinergics can make it harder to regulate body temperature.
