How to prevent heat stroke

When the body gets heated in the extreme hot weather, followed by symptoms such as extreme weakness, nausea, headache, body chills, seizure, shortness of breath and fainting, this is called heat stroke.

Such problems occur all of a sudden. This is a medical emergency. It is accompanied by severe dehydration.

·       Sportspersons or people who work in the sun, such as rickshaw pullers, van-cart pullers, hawkers, factory workers and labourers.

·       Children. They can suffer from heat stroke while playing in the sun or even during the daily assembly and exercise (PT) at school.

·       First, move the affected person to a shaded and relatively cooler place. Loosen their clothes. Wipe their entire body with water or a wet cloth. You can also give them a sponge bath with ice-cubes in the water. If not unconscious, give them oral saline or water to drink.

·       Take them quickly to the nearest hospital. The faster they get treatment, the better. If delayed, vital organs can be damaged permanently or it can lead to even death.

·       Do not provide any medication assuming it fever because of the high body temperature.  If the hospital is too far away, place larger chunks of ice beside the patient and keep fanning. Tilt the patient. Clean up the saliva accumulated inside the mouth.

 Heat stroke can be prevented by following some precautionary measures. For example-

·       Instead of working long hours in the sun, take rest in the shade occasionally.  

·       While working by the fire, take a break and sit under or in front of the fan.

·       Drink enough water (can drink oral saline also). It’s better to skip tea or coffee in the extreme hot weather.

·       Wear lighter clothes, preferably in light colours. If possible, farmers should use umbrellas or sun hats.

·       Prevent children from playing outside in extreme sunlight. Keep them in cooler places within the house. Avoid going outdoors unless necessary. Keep an eye on whether the children or the elders are drinking enough water or not.

·       Instead of sitting inside a stationary vehicle, get down and walk. This can be done when stuck in traffic jam or on a ferry.

*Dr Sudipta Kumar Mukherjee, associate professor, pediatric neurosurgery, National Institute of Neurosciences.