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Expert Advice: How to protect your family from heat exhaustion

By on August 4, 2023

How does heat harm us? Who is at risk and how can you protect your family?

Dr. Joy Shumake-Guillemot, environmental health scientist and public health practitioner who has worked with WHO, WMO, UNICEF, says “when we’re exposed to hot temperatures for too long, the body is naturally going to want to try it and cool itself. And so it’s going to kick in to a biological process where the skin is going to send a signal to the brain to dilate the blood vessels and try to get rid of this excess heat.”

“And if that doesn’t work, then the body is going to start sweating. And if that doesn’t help enough, well, your temperature’s going to continue to rise. And with an increasing internal temperature, then you’re going to start to experience symptoms of heat exhaustion.”

Although symptoms vary according to the individual’s health condition, the common signs, according to Dr. Guillemot, include headaches, feeling weak, dizzy and at times, nauseous.

“Unfortunately, there are limits to how fast and how much your body can actually cool itself. There is a certain point that it actually can become overwhelmed. And this is where the state of heat exhaustion can advance to become heat stroke, which is a medical condition that requires immediate medical intervention to cool the body.”

Although older people and younger infants are especially vulnerable, everyone can be at risk from extreme heat.

“We have to keep in mind that even young and healthy people can be impacted by heat. If you’re exercising outdoors when it is too hot, you can be affected. Workers who are out in the heat for long periods of time can be affected. And this is because the working muscles are creating additional heat in the body and the body has to work twice as hard to get rid of this additional heat.”

 

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“Older people are more vulnerable to heat illness. And that’s because the aging body is less capable of getting rid of this excess heat. However, those that are also at risk are outdoor workers, pregnant women, children and infants, people with underlying medical conditions that affect the heart, the lungs and the kidneys, as well as people who are isolated. We also see worldwide that people who are experiencing poverty as well as homelessness are disproportionately affected by heat, particularly in dense urban areas.”

People who love going to matsuris and festivals in particular, need to take necessary precautions, mentions Dr. Guillemot.

“We also see a hotspot for cases of heat illness happen to be at festivals and outdoor gatherings like music concerts, where people have underestimated how long they’re going to be out in the heat and they’re unprepared and they do fall sick from these conditions.”

“Worldwide we know that people underestimate their own vulnerability to heat. The reality is we are all at risk of heat illness if we are exposed for too long to too hot conditions.”

In order to protect ourselves from extreme heat,  she urges everyone to ‘know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke and really take these seriously’.

“It’s important during the heat season when it’s hot outdoors that everybody thinks about their personal heat plan for the day. How am I going to stay hydrated? When do I need to stop and take a rest or go find some shade? Do I need to wet my skin to keep it cool? What do I need to do to keep myself cool and healthy during a hot day?”

Getting sick from heat exhaustion is not only caused by over exposure to heat outdoors.

“You can actually get sick from heat indoors as well as at night because it’s quite often that indoor temperatures can be hotter than outdoors.”

“The safest space is actually going to be in the shade outdoors. And for people who don’t have cooling, the use of a fan is definitely an important tool to reduce indoor temperatures, except in really hot conditions when it’s over 40 degrees, 104°F, then, using a fan can actually make things worse and can accelerate heating in the body instead of cooling it down.”

Protecting kids

It’s also really important to check on others, stresses Dr. Guillemot. “Make a phone call to people who are vulnerable to make sure they have what they need. Make sure that children are hydrated and taking rest when they’re playing outdoors. Make sure that infants in baby strollers are actually covered with a wet cloth so that the temperatures aren’t becoming too hot and overexposing them.”

The good news in all of this is that heat- related illness and death is preventable. If people are aware of the signs, they know that they are vulnerable and they know the good behaviors and actions that they can take to keep themselves safe and healthy when it’s hot outdoors.

 

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