Preventing Heat Illness In Youth Athletes

Types of Heat Illnesses

Athletes who exercise in hot or humid weather are prone to heat illnesses:

• Heat cramps
• Heat exhaustion
• Heatstroke

Symptoms of Impending Heat Illness

In addition to educating young athletes about both the importance of hydration and the dangers of heat-related illness, ensuring that they drink enough fluids, and taking precautions to reduce the risk of heat injury in children in hot and humid weather, you need to watch your child for symptoms of impending heat illness:

• Weakness
• Chills
• Goose pimples on the chest and upper arms
• Nausea
• Headache
• Faintness
• Disorientation
• Muscle cramping
• Reduced or cessation of sweating

A child continuing to exercise when experiencing any of these symptoms could suffer a heat illness.

Heat Cramps

Overview

• Mildest form of heat illness.
• No medical attention required
• Usually occurs during or after exercise
• Usually affects only specific muscles exercised
• Probably results from an imbalance of the body's fluid and electrolyte concentrations caused by a loss of electrolytes in sweat

Symptoms:

• Thirst
• Chills
• Clammy skin
• Throbbing heart
• Muscle pain
• Spasms
• Nausea

Treatment:

• Move child to shade
• Remove excess clothing
• Have child drink 4 to 8 ounces of fluid with electrolytes (sports drinks) every 10 to 15 minutes
• Add salt to foods (not by giving salt tablets)(see sidebar)

Heat Exhaustion

Overview:

• More serious heat illness
• May require medical attention
• Probably results from a reduced blood volume due to excessive sweating, which causes blood to pool in the extremities, causing the child to faint or feel dizzy.

Symptoms:

• Nausea
• Extreme fatigue
• Reduced sweating
• Headache
• Shortness of breath
• Weak, rapid pulse
• Dry mouth
• Rectal temperature less than 104?F.

Treatment:

• Move child to cool place
• Have child drink 16 ounces of fluid containing electrolytes (i.e. sports drinks) for every pound of weight lost
• Remove sweaty clothes
• Place ice behind child's head
• Seek medical attention, if no improvement

Heat Stroke

Overview:

• Life-threatening medical emergency requiring immediate action
• Body's temperature-regulating processes stop functioning
• Left untreated, results in death due to collapse of circulatory system and damage to central nervous system
• Until medical help arrives, key is to immediately lower elevated body temperature

Symptoms:

• No sweating
• Dry, hot skin
• Swollen tongue
• Visual disturbances
• Rapid pulse
• Unsteady gait
• Fainting
• Low blood pressure
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Loss of consciousness
• Shock
• Excessively high rectal temperature (over 105.8?F.)

Treatment:

• Call 911
• Remove sweaty clothes
• Cover child with ice packs, immerse in cold water, rub with alcohol or, if conscious, help the child take a cold shower
• If in shock, elevate the feet