by riseadmin
9. August 2011 19:10
Never underestimate the power of heat to harm even a healthy human body. As summertime heat beats down on families exploring and enjoying the great outdoors, this RV camping guide helps you recognize and treat heat exhaustion.
Spring and Summer: The danger zones of the calendar for heat illnesses
Heat exhaustion can be easy to mistake for just being tired from playful outdoor exertion during hot months of the year. Youth and good health do not make anyone immune to heat exhaustion and those on healthy low-sodium diets are even more susceptible. Be aware of the effects that being overheated can have on the human body and stock your RV with the necessary and simple remedies to prevent and combat heat exhaustion.
Facts About Heat Exhaustion
Heat exhaustion is caused by the critical loss of too much water and electrolytes sweat through the skin. Blood, in a desperate attempt to keep the body cool, rises to the surface of the skin in order to pump cooler blood through the system. Because of this, less blood is available to the brain, muscles, and internal organs which causes dizziness, fatigue, and confusion. Others symptoms include excessive thirst, headaches, nausea, and fainting. While not typically life-threatening, it must be treated immediately.
Steps to Take
Call for help immediately. When you know that medical professionals are on the way, the best things you can do are to get the person suffering from heat exhaustion to lie down in a cool place with their feet elevated just above head-level. Encourage them to drink cool liquids with a salt content but do not force it if the person is confused or passed out. Sports drinks with electrolytes added are a good choice, but in a pinch you can also use a bouillon cube or one level teaspoon of salt in a quart of cool water. When medical assistance arrives their goal will be to quickly replenish the sufferer’s fluid and salt reserves.
Heat exhaustion is not to be treated lightly. Other associated heat illnesses include heat cramps and heat stroke and all require immediate medical attention.
For more RV travel guides on how to keep your family safe, including Surviving Hypothermia, visit our blog. For more information on how Gilbert RV Insurance can help you keep your vehicles safe and secure on the road, visit our Insurance Products page today!