With Intense Heat On The Way, Local Doctor Shares Ways Your Patients Can Stay Safe

(WTOC 11, Brontë Sorotsky) — It’s almost officially the first day of summer, but the Southeast is already starting to see those feel like temperatures get into the triple digits.

When it gets this hot, health experts say it can lead to more health concerns like heat exhaustion, especially for more vulnerable folks like young children and the elderly.

While this extreme heat may seem like a good time to hit the pool or the beach, doctors advise you to be on top of any signs of heat stroke before they can get too severe, especially when it comes to leaving kids or pets in the car.

Even if it’s only 80 degrees outside, within 10 minutes a car can start to get up to 99 degrees or more.

The U.S has already seen six reported deaths from kids getting heat stroke in cars.

Babies can’t regulate their temperature as well as older kids–which could pose more of a risk, but overall, anyone can start to experience organ damage if left unattended in a hot space like a car or elsewhere.

Dr. Michael Bossak at Memorial health says it’s important for parents to watch out for signs of heat stroke during these warmer months.

“Any increased tiredness, feeling like they have fevers or they’re hot, that they’re having difficulty with sweating or they’re sweating profusely, increased thirst and not having any urination. Those are all kind of signs that you are dehydrated and overheated,” Dr. Bossak said.

As we get into summer, hydration is key.

It’s not just important to drink lots of water, but make sure you’re drinking lots of electrolytes as well.

Doctors also advise you to be cautious of how much time you’re getting in the direct sun. Being in the direct sunlight, especially for prolonged periods of time can be really dangerous, especially for kids and the elderly.

One of those dangers is sunburn, kids skin breaks down very quickly.

“Making sure that we are applying sunscreen on a regular basis and not just applying but reapplying every one to two hours to make sure that we’re maintaining that,” Dr. Bossak said.

He says it’s also important to look out for the older population during these hotter months–many of their heat exhaustion symptoms can be similar to children’s.