LANSING, Mich. — As summer temperatures climb, mid-Michigan doctors are urging residents to take heat illness seriously, especially children and the elderly.
WATCH: DOCTORS SHARE TIPS TO BATTLE HEAT DURING OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AS TEMPERATURES RISE
Dr. Crystal Arthur, Chief Medical Director of the Emergency Service Line at McLaren Health, said heat-related illness can escalate quickly if warning signs are ignored.
"When it's so hot and humid, we definitely want to be more cautious with people at extremes of age," Arthur said. "Kids under the age of two or elderly people, we want to have shorter time outside, take longer breaks, make sure you're seeking shade."
Lansing Common Football Club held practice at Eastern High School's football field Wednesday night, fine-tuning fundamentals ahead of Friday's match in Grand Rapids.
Coach Brent Sorg said heat preparation is already part of the team's game plan.
"Friday is going to be warm. I'm sure that we'll play 25 minutes or so and they'll give us a hydration break," Sorg said.
Arthur said pre-hydrating before any outdoor activity is one of the most important steps people can take. She recommends adults drink about 40 ounces of water in the hours before heading outside.
For children, she suggests a simple rule of thumb: drink as many cups of water per day as your age, and aim to get at least half of those in before heavy activity.
"If you have a planned event that's going to be outside in the sun, pre-hydrating can be very helpful," Arthur said.
Water alone, however, may not be enough.
"Drinking things like a Gatorade or having orange slices in addition to water helps give you some of those electrolytes back," Arthur said.
Arthur said urine color is a reliable way to gauge hydration, dark or infrequent urination is a sign the body is falling behind on fluids.
Symptoms of heat illness can include fatigue, nausea, headaches and a feeling of faintness. In severe cases a person may experience confusion, vomiting or altered mental status, signs of heat stroke, which Arthur defines as a core body temperature above 104 degrees Fahrenheit.
If someone is showing severe symptoms, Arthur said bystanders should avoid putting anything in the person's mouth and instead focus on cooling them down.
"Pouring some water on your arms or legs that are exposed or wiping with a damp cloth can help you evaporate the sweat off of your body and the heat off of your body," Arthur said.
Moving the person to a shaded or air-conditioned area and using a fan to blow air over wet skin can also speed up the cooling process, a method Arthur said McLaren emergency departments use on patients.
She also warned that common medications, including over-the-counter drugs like Benadryl, can impair the body's ability to sweat, increasing the risk of heat illness.
For Coach Sorg, keeping his players healthy and safe remains the top priority heading into the weekend.
"It's just a reminder to continue to hydrate and push the fluids," he said.
Arthur said residents should call 9-1-1 immediately if someone experiences any change in mental status, difficulty breathing or a fainting spell.
"Calling 9-1-1 is always advised if there's any change in mental status, because while we might think it's heat stroke, it could be something else," Arthur said.
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