During the hot days of summer, caution should be exercised to avoid heat-related illness, especially by adolescents and older people. If left untreated, muscle cramping caused by exercising in the heat while slightly dehydrated is followed by heat exhaustion, characterized by headache, nausea, slurred speech, confusion and sweating. Failure to immediately cool the body down with cold towels and circulating air may lead to full-fledged heat stroke. In heat stroke, the core body temperature spikes up to 105 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, blood volume contracts to such an extent that sweating ceases, and unconsciousness or delirium occurs. As soon as you start experiencing heat exhaustion, it's imperative that you receive immediate medical care, preferably at a nearby emergency room.
Prevention remains the best course of action.
Wear light cotton clothing, drink plenty of water and stay out of the hot afternoon sun. Young athletes need to acclimatize to the heat by gradually increasing their level of activity. Football practice, for example, should be held in the morning or early evening, not during mid-day. Sports drinks are fine but aren't necessarily more effective than water. Although every effort has been made to ensure that data is current, please note that some information may be outdated by more recent medical developments.