Doctor talks ways to beat the heat

Posted By: Rachael Miner

rminer@klkntv.com

The heat is back in full force. While some might call it the dog days of summer the heat is not just miserable, it can be deadly.

"Confusion, inability to sweat, passing out or losing consciousness, and even worse would be seizure activity. Those would be the main symptoms that you would find," said Doctor John Bonta, an ER Specialist at Bryan West. 

Dr. Bonta is describing heat stroke. It’s the body’s inability to cool itself down and Dr. Bonta says it’s a real possibility in this extreme heat.

Heat stroke can be deadly and requires immediate medical attention.

It’s not just people who work outside are at risk of developing it, but kids playing outside in the heat as well.

So what can you do to avoid a trip to the emergency room this summer with your child?

"Frequent breaks, get them out of sun into the shade, get them into a cool environment, and just making sure you’re watching their activity to make sure they’re not getting the appearance of heat exhaustion," said Dr. Bonta. 

Staying inside in a cool environment is always recommended, but if you do have to be outside for long periods of time wear light colored clothing.

It will reflect the suns rays instead of absorbing it and making you hotter.

Some other things to keep in mind for adults– stay away from alcohol and caffeine as those will naturally dehydrate your body.

What’s Dr. Bonta’s best advice for ways to beat the heat? "My three best tips would be hydrate, take frequent breaks, and wear loose fitting clothing."