Who should worry about heat illness?
Some people are more likely to get sick from heat and should take extra care to keep cool when it is hot out.
What to Do: In general, make sure people have access to air conditioning, monitor them for signs of serious illness, encourage them to drink more fluids, and talk with their health care provider if they take medications.
Caregivers, relatives, and neighbors need to check on people that are not able to take care of themselves during hot weather.
- Older Adults (age 65 and older) and Heat Illness
During very hot weather, the people who are most likely to die or be hospitalized are adults over age 65, especially those who live alone, those without access to air conditioning, and those with underlying health problems.
Why worry about them when it is hot?
- Harder to Adjust: Older adults do not adjust as well as younger people to sudden changes in temperature.
- Thirst: Older adults tend not to feel thirsty and do not feel the need to drink as often as younger people. They may also have a hard time drinking or swallowing.
- Health: An older adult is more likely to have a health issue that makes it hard for the body to cool itself.
- Medications: Older adults are more likely to take medicines like water pills (diuretics) and anti-cholinergics that make it hard for the body to cool itself.
What to do?
- Visit older adults at least 2 times each day. Watch them for signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke. [LINK to 3.5.9.1.1 Recognize Heat Illness]
- Tell them to drink lots of water or other drinks without caffeine or alcohol even if they are not very active.
- Warning: If their doctor limits the amount of fluid they drink or they are on water pills, they will need to ask their doctor how much they should drink while the weather is hot.
- Infants, Children, and Youth and Heat Illness
Infants and children up to age 4 are very sensitive to heat and need caregivers to keep them healthy in very hot weather.
Other children likely to have serious problems due to heat are those who don't exercise, are overweight or obese, have been sick from heat before, drink caffeinated drinks, have disabilities, or other health problems like diabetes.
Why worry about them when it is hot?
- They Need Help: Children, especially infants and young children, depend on parents or caregivers to make sure they stay cool, have enough to drink, and notice if they are becoming sick from heat.
- More Body Heat: A child's body makes more heat than an adult's body.
- Less Sweat: Children sweat less than adults.
- Less Fluids: Children often don't drink enough during exercise and when it is hot.
What to do?
- Make sure they drink lots of fluids. Water, juices, or sports drinks for children. Breast milk, formula, milk, or drinks like Pedialyte for infants.
- Check for signs of heat-related illness and dehydration [LINK to 3.5.9.1.1 Recognize Heat Illness]. Signs to look for in young children: less urine, no tears when crying, dry or sticky mouth, crankiness, fatigue.
Car Safety Tips for the Heat
- Never leave children (or anyone else, or pets) by themselves in a vehicle, even if the windows are down. Never leave a sleeping infant in the car. Always make sure all children have left the car when you get out of the car.
- Check to make sure your child's car seat and seat belts are not too hot before putting your child in the car, especially if your car has been parked in the sun.
- Teach children not to play in, on, or around cars.
- Always lock car doors and trunks, even when at home, and keep keys out of children's reach.
Tips for Coaches, School or Camp Staff
- Follow the general tips to keep cool, drink fluids, lie low.
- Lower the intensity of any physical activity lasting more than 15 minutes, especially if both heat and humidity are high.
- Be aware that athletes in good condition may be more likely to have heat stroke because they have larger body mass and create more heat.
- Make young athletes drink fluids like water or a sports drink before practice and every 15 to 60 minutes during practice, even if they are not thirsty.
- Make young athletes take regular shade and rest breaks and encourage them to take more rest and water breaks when they need to.
- Check for signs of heat-related illness and dehydration [LINK to 3.5.9.1.1 Recognize Heat Illness]. Signs to look for in young children: less urine, no tears when crying, dry or sticky mouth, crankiness, fatigue.
- Have a plan for dealing with heat-related illness.
- Pregnant Women and Heat Illness
Why worry about them when it is hot?
- More Body Heat: Pregnant women's bodies make more body heat.
- Cooling for Two: Pregnant women work harder to stay cool because they must also cool the body of the fetus.
- Too Much Heat is Bad for Baby: An increase in body temperature of a pregnant woman may harm the fetus, especially during the first trimester.
What to do?
- Follow the general tips to keep cool, drink fluids, lie low
- Use air conditioning to keep cool.
- Wear lightweight, loose fitting clothing.
- Take a cool bath.
- Drink lots of fluids like water, or drinks that have electrolytes and other nutrients, like sports drinks.
- Avoid caffeine, salt, and alcohol.
- Stay inside in an air conditioned place in the middle of the day when it is hottest out.
- Call your doctor or go to the emergency room if you feel dizzy, short of breath, or lightheaded.
- Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is hotter than the mid-90s, fans will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath, or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off.
- People with Mental Illness and Heat Illness
Why worry about them when it is hot?
- Medications: Some medications used to treat mental illness, such as anti-psychotics, make it harder for the body to cool down.
- Housing: Many people with mental illnesses live in poor conditions and without air conditioning, making them more likely to have problems in heat.
- Impaired Judgment: Sometimes people with mental illness have trouble figuring out what they need to do to stay healthy and safe.
- Talk with your doctor if you have questions about your medication and heat illness.