Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Dr. Holt Provides Heat Related Warnings

Don't let the heat sneak up on you. You wonder how anyone could possibly not notice it's hot, but it's one thing to realize it's hot, and another to take the right precautions.

The first rule of protecting yourself against the heat is to drink plenty of water. Most people rely on thirst to tell them to drink, but if you wait until you're thirsty, you are already behind. Your body is already dehydrated by the time you feel thirsty.

If you do get thirsty, drink until thirst is quenched and then drink a few more gulps to re-hydrate adequately.

If you are active in the heat, drink at least 10 to 12 eight-ounce cups of fluid a day. Active people can lose 20 or more cups of fluid a day.

Be especially concerned about fluid if you or your child participate in sports. Ensure safety by being conscious of drinking enough water and stress this to both your child and the coach.

Encourage your child to drink two cups of fluid two hours before exercise to promote adequate hydration.

Coaches should make players drink about four liters of fluid during practice, otherwise they may not drink enough. Larger fluid intake during exercise is associated with greater cardiac output, greater skin blood flow, lower core temperature and a reduced rating of perceived exertion.

You should only use water or sport drinks. Avoid caffeinated, highly sweetened and carbonated beverages. These drinks can dehydrate and contribute to nausea. Water is perfectly acceptable for the purpose of re-hydration, but sports drinks are designed to make you want to drink more.

Children will drink more sport drink than they will water, because it has more taste and contains salt, which will make them feel thirstier. Because sports drinks encourage you to drink more fluid, they are the beverage of choice when trying to get a child or headstrong teenager to re-hydrate.

It is important to understand the symptoms of dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke given the recent temperatures. In Arkansas the relative humidity stays around 40 percent while the temperature has been around 100 degrees F.

The combination of these two factors makes the temperature seem like 110 degrees F. If you increase the environmental temperature to 110 degrees F, then the temperature feels like 137 degrees F and heatstroke becomes highly likely to occur.

The symptoms of dehydration are loss of energy, performance and muscle cramps. Symptoms of heat exhaustion are dizziness; cold, clammy skin; nausea; and headaches. The symptoms of heat stroke are high body temperature and dry skin; confusion and unconsciousness. People suffering from heatstroke will feel chilly and have tingling arms and goose bumps.

If you feel these symptoms, get out of the heat and seek immediate medical treatment. Begin cooling down with ice baths or other means.

Don't ignore your body in this heat. Plan for your fluid intake before you even go outside. Too much exposure to the heat combined with dehydration could be fatal. If you don't think ahead, the heat will catch you by surprise.

The calendar may say it's still springtime, but the sun in this part of the country can get hot, even this early in the year. So be careful out there!

For more information on health and safety visit the Clark County Cooperative Extension office at 501 Clay Street in Arkadelphia, or call 807-246-2281.