First Aid Tips: Heatstroke
Based on a module by
Fred Mednick from
the Connexions website’s Health
Education Course
Introduction by Dr. Don Rose,
Writer, Life
Alert
--
Fun in the sun
is a hallmark of summer. However, too much sun is no fun. When heatstroke strikes,
it’s a life and death matter. This article gives some condensed yet valuable advice
that can help prevent you or a loved one from becoming a heatstroke casualty. --Don
Rose
--
Helping someone who is suffering
from heatstroke (or who appears to be on the verge of it) can prevent serious injury
from occurring, or even save a person’s life. As a quick refresher, here are a few
useful tips:
- Cool the body of a heatstroke victim immediately.
- If possible, do one of the following:
· put the person in cool water;
· wrap him/her in cool wet clothes; or
· sponge his/her skin with cool water, rubbing alcohol,
ice, or cold packs.
- Once the victim's temperature drops to about 101 degrees
Fahrenheit, you may lay him/her in the recovery position in a cool room.
- If the person’s temperature begins to rise again,
repeat the cooling process.
- If he/she is able to drink, you may give him/her some
water.
- DO NOT GIVE A HEATSTROKE VICTIM ANY KIND OF MEDICATION.
- Watch for signs of shock while waiting for medical
attention.
If you believe
you are a victim of heatstroke yourself, use the above
seven steps as an action guide, and try to get someone to assist you. Do not hesitate
to ask people nearby for help, if needed; staying alive trumps modesty and shyness.
For heatstroke victims who
are home and need to contact paramedics for attention, dial 911. If you are not
near a phone, or too weak to get to a phone or to use it, you can still get immediate
help if you are a member of Life Alert; simply press your pendant to get in touch
with live dispatchers within seconds. They can send help to you, which will arrive
in a matter of minutes. Life Alert members who are not home when heatstroke (or
other emergencies) strike can also use a special one-button 911 cellphone (an optional
feature). If you don’t have Life Alert, see below for links to information on this
lifesaving service.
The article above is covered by a
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License. The information provided
is, to the best of our knowledge, reliable and accurate. However, while
Life Alert always strives to provide true, precise and
consistent information, we cannot guarantee 100 percent accuracy. Readers are encouraged
to review the original article, and use any resource links provided to gather more
information before drawing conclusions and making decisions.
Dr. Don Rose writes books, papers and articles
on computers, the Internet, AI, science and technology, and issues related to seniors.
For more information about
Life Alert
and its many services for seniors and younger adults nationwide, please visit the
following websites:
http://www.lifealert.com
http://www.seniorprotection.com
http://www.911seniors.com