What to do with heat stroke in a child. Heat stroke in a child: what is the reason, how to recognize and how to help? Heat stroke in a child

With the onset of summer, many people spend a lot of time outdoors, so parents need to know the main symptoms of heat stroke in a child. If the baby's health has deteriorated sharply and he has become lethargic, it means that he has overheated and needs urgent help.

This disease is called a painful condition that is caused by prolonged exposure to hot environmental conditions. It occurs at any time of the year, but most often in the summer. The situation is aggravated by the presence of warm or multilayer clothing, synthetic fabrics, high humidity, plentiful food, physical activity.

There is the concept of sunstroke - it occurs if a person does not wear a hat in sunny weather. Symptoms and prevention are similar. Sunstroke is a form of heat. However, there are differences.

These diseases occur for various reasons. Parents need to know what happens in the body when they overheat so that they can provide first aid to their child if symptoms of heat stroke occur.

First aid for heat stroke and sunstroke is the same.

Development mechanism

The human body adapts to different environmental weather conditions and maintains its constant temperature. If the air is very warm, the body begins to sweat actively - this is how heat passes into the environment. The hotter it is outside and the higher the humidity, the more a person sweats. In especially hot weather, up to 1 liter of liquid comes out with sweat in 1 hour.

Most often, infants, children, the elderly and people with chronic diseases suffer from overheating. In this case, the processes of heat generation are enhanced, and the processes of heat transfer are reduced. Heat is stored in the body and does not escape.

When overheated, the blood vessels constrict, the heat does not go to the skin, but remains inside. With dehydration, the blood becomes thick, blood circulation in the internal organs is disturbed. Blood enters the skin (the face turns red), it is not enough in the organs (weakness appears).

A person begins to have a fever, intoxication of the body, heart failure, which can even lead to respiratory arrest and death.

Normally, thermoregulation occurs at 37 °C (± 1.5 °C). When climatic conditions change, the process of heat transfer changes. In this case, the following consequences are possible:

1. At the compensation stage, the human body struggles with overheating.
2. Compensatory reactions disrupt thermoregulation.
3. If the symptoms are not eliminated in the previous stages, fever appears.
4. There comes a stage of a decompensation.
5. Acidosis (a form of acid-base imbalance) occurs in the last stage of overheating.

Thus, when overheated, processes occur in the body that can lead to irreversible consequences.

The reasons

There are two forms of overheating:

• overheating during physical activity (in young people, athletes, those who work in a stuffy room);
• classic heat stroke caused by elevated air temperature.

The following reasons contribute to overheating:

• prolonged exposure to the street in hot weather;
• change in climatic conditions;
• the presence of multi-layered or synthetic clothing in hot weather;
• hormonal disorders;
• weather sensitivity;
• heart disease (including a previous heart attack or stroke);
• overweight;
• the use of diuretic medications (read about);
• insufficient fluid intake;
• use of alcohol or drugs.

If timely assistance is not provided, a person can be seriously injured.

Symptoms

In order to provide first aid to the victim in time, you need to be able to recognize the symptoms of heat stroke in a child and an adult.

In the next video, Dr. Komarovsky will tell you what heatstroke is and how to avoid it.

In infants

Heatstroke in children under one year is manifested by the following symptoms:

• the complexion changes: first the skin turns red, then turns pale;
• the temperature rises sharply to 38-40 ° C;
• behavior changes: at first the baby is in an excited state, after which it becomes lethargic, yawns; this happens because the body loses fluid, but cannot cool itself;
• cold sweat appears;
• the work of the digestive system is disrupted: nausea, belching and frequent stools;
• cramps of the face, arms and legs may appear (in this article you will learn about and first aid).

The kid can be capricious and cry for a long time, he does not understand what is happening to him, he feels bad.

In children older than one year

Children 1 year of age and older have similar basic signs of heat stroke:

• lethargy, weakness;
• possible fainting;
• increase in body temperature;
• nausea and vomiting (go to to learn how to stop a child from vomiting);
• rapid pulse, weakly palpable;
• tinnitus and darkening of the eyes;
• cracked lips from dehydration;
• nosebleed.

In childhood, the disease is dangerous with the occurrence of a critical condition, which can lead to death. It is urgent to call an ambulance and take the baby to the hospital. In addition, it comes on abruptly, so it is important to notice overheating in the early stages.

In adults

In adults, the signs of heat stroke are:

• lethargy, drowsiness, weakness (I want to lie down or lean on my elbows, a person cannot stand on his feet);
• headache and dizziness;
• redness of the face;
• temperature increase up to 40 °C;
• intestinal disorders (vomiting, diarrhea).

After that, the person falls into a delusional state, hallucinations occur, the patient loses consciousness. The complexion turns from red to white (bluish), there is profuse sweating. Further, the work of the cardiovascular system is disrupted (the pulse becomes more frequent, but it is weakly heard). In this condition, death is possible.

Severity

There are three degrees of severity, depending on which treatment is prescribed.
1
A mild degree is manifested by headaches, nausea, dilated pupils, weakness and lethargy, rapid heart rate and breathing. Red face, profuse sweating, possibly bleeding from the nose.
2
Moderate severity is characterized by severe weakness, passivity: the child is lethargic, lies all the time, he is disturbed by vomiting, loss of consciousness is possible. There is a fever (up to 40 ° C), tachycardia occurs, breathing is frequent and labored.
3
A severe degree is considered the most dangerous. Convulsions are possible, the person "burns" (temperature up to 41 ° C). The state of delirium, fainting occurs, blood circulation and breathing are disturbed.

In medical sources, you can find the division of the disease into 4 varieties:

• asphyxia - respiratory failure, fever up to 38 ° C;
• hypothermia - fever, fever (39-41 ° C);
• cerebral form - there are mental disorders and neurological phenomena (convulsions, delirium, hallucinations);
• gastroenteric form - a violation of the digestive system (vomiting, nausea, abdominal pain, disturbed stools).

Most often, not one form of heat stroke occurs, but several at once.

In case of heat stroke, it is necessary to prevent dehydration of the body. It is manifested by the fact that there is thirst, dry mouth, lips crack. It is also important to look for signs of heat and sunstroke.

First aid

At the first suspicion of overheating, parents should call a doctor and provide first aid.

It is important to know what to do with heat stroke:

1. Move the victim to a shade or cool room.
2. Remove outer clothing (from the baby - a diaper).
3. Put a cold compress on the head, wipe the body with cool water (adults can be wiped with alcohol or vodka). This will help cool you down.
4. Give cool water to drink often, but little by little. When fainting, you should not give a drink, as water can get into the inhalation tract! It is better to drink pure non-carbonated drinking water.
5. If vomiting has begun, the person must be laid on one side, raise his head and tilt it.

You also need to know what not to do with heat stroke:

• Give antipyretics.
• Give alcohol and caffeinated drinks.
• Quickly cool the victim (for example, dipping in cold water).

If you take these actions in time, you can avoid disastrous consequences. With a mild degree of first aid, as a rule, it is enough to restore the body. If it doesn’t get better, call your doctor immediately, he will prescribe treatment for heat stroke.

Effects

Most often g miners and children under one year old react to heatstroke with vomiting and diarrhea, fever. If you do not provide first aid, the condition can become critical:

• body temperature rises to 41 ° C;
• breathing slows down or stops altogether.

In especially difficult cases, delirium, loss of consciousness, convulsions are observed, a person may fall into a coma. The longer the body is overheated, the higher the risk of death.

If the malaise occurred during physical activity, then this can provoke the development of various complications.

Prevention

To avoid the consequences of hot weather, a number of preventive measures must be observed:

1. In hot weather, walk with children up to a year in the shade of trees. The best time for walking is before 11 am in the morning and after sunset in the evening. The most dangerous period is considered to be from 12.00 to 16.00. At this time, you need to stay at home, in a cool, well-ventilated area.
2. Choose clothes for the baby from cotton or linen fabric (avoid synthetic fabrics). The child must wear a hat. It is better to buy clothes in light colors. You can wear sunglasses over your eyes.
3. Take water with you for a walk.. You need to drink twice as much as usual. It is not recommended to feed outside.
4. Add more vegetables and fruits to your diet (as they contain water) and reduce the amount of fatty foods. Do not walk immediately after eating.
5. If the baby was taken to the resort, then it is necessary to alternate swimming and playing on the beach. You can't let him sleep in the sun.
6. Wipe the baby's face more often with a damp handkerchief or wash with cool water.
7. Adults are not recommended to drink a lot of coffee and alcohol in hot weather.. It is better to quench your thirst with cool non-carbonated mineral water.

Watch the following video to learn about prevention and first aid for heat stroke.

Conclusion

Heatstroke can cause serious health damage. To avoid unwanted consequences, you need to take precautions. If it was not possible to avoid overheating, it is necessary to determine the symptoms of heat stroke in a child in time and provide first aid.

Many parents underestimate the dangers of heat stroke, but in vain - the duration of the child's exposure to the open sun in the summer season must be strictly controlled.

What is heat stroke?

• outdoors in the summer heat;

Causes of heat stroke

• excess weight;
• pathology of the central nervous system;

Signs in the chest

• baby crying loudly
• poor appetite;
• general weakness, apathy.

Symptoms in children older than one year

• dizziness;
• headache;
• strong feeling of thirst;
• increase in body temperature;
• skin redness;
• dry lips;
• sudden bouts of vomiting;
• nausea;
• general weakness.

Heat stroke treatment

How to help the baby?

Treatment of babies 2-3 years old

• hormonal agents;

Consequences of hyperthermia

Causes of overheating

• high air humidity;

First aid for overheating

Heatstroke is life-threatening for a child. The body of children is especially prone to sunstroke if the babies do not drink enough fluids and are exposed to direct sunlight for a long time in the summer.

The baby's body generates a huge amount of heat. Normally, bodies cool themselves by sweating and radiating heat through the skin. But on a very sunny and hot day, the natural cooling system can fail, allowing heat to build up in the body to dangerous levels. As a result, heat stroke can occur.

The following signs will help determine that a child has a heat stroke: dizziness, fever, lethargy, pale skin, vomiting, diarrhea.

The reasons

Sunstroke is the most severe form of heat sickness and is often accompanied by dehydration. Heatstroke is life-threatening, especially for a small child (for children under one year old). Body temperature can rise to 41°C or even higher, leading to brain damage or even death.

One of the reasons that increases the likelihood of sunstroke in children may be increased physical activity (at home, at sea, etc.) in hot weather with insufficient fluid intake. Another reason is dehydration.

Dehydrated children are not able to sweat fast enough to dissipate the heat that keeps their body temperature high.

Also, heat stroke in children can happen when you leave them in a parked car for a long time during hot days. When the outside temperature is 33°C, and the temperature inside the car can reach up to 51°C in just 20 minutes, body temperature will quickly rise to dangerous levels.

Especially often overheating occurs in a combination of high temperature and high humidity. Dressing an infant in too many layers of clothing can cause physical exertion, resulting in overheating, even when the ambient temperature is not too high.

Prolonged exposure to high temperatures, direct sunlight and insufficient fluid intake will lead to a sharp deterioration in the child's well-being.

Symptoms and signs

The first signs of dehydration appear as fatigue, thirst, dry lips and tongue, lack of energy and feelings of heat in the body. After some time, the following symptoms appear, the consequences of which are extremely dangerous:

• pale skin;
• confusion in conversation, unconsciousness;
• dark urine;
• dizziness;
• fainting;
• hallucinations;
• fatigue;
• headache;
• rapid and shallow breathing;
• fast heartbeat;
• muscle or abdominal cramps;
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• gastrointestinal bleeding;
• renal failure syndrome;
• acute kidney injury.

Diagnostics

The presence of obvious symptoms already makes it possible to make a diagnosis, but in medical institutions it is necessary to make a differential diagnosis with such diseases as: delirium tremens, hepatic encephalopathy, uremic encephalopathy, hyperthyroidism, meningitis, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, tetanus, cocaine poisoning, which have similar symptoms and signs.

Tests include:

• blood test - how much sodium, potassium and gases are contained in the blood in order to assess how much damage the central nervous system has suffered;
• urinalysis - check the color of urine, as a rule, it darkens when the kidneys overheat, which can be affected by heat stroke;
• check for damage to muscle tissue and other tests of internal organs.

Treatment

Treatment consists of quickly lowering body temperature to normal levels. If a child has a heat stroke, at least one of the symptoms appears, immediately call an ambulance. If you can get the child to the hospital yourself, then do it as soon as possible. Follow-up treatment can take place at home.

First aid must be provided without delay, otherwise the consequences can be fatal.

After some time, irreversible processes occur in the body, which subsequently damage the central nervous system, which can lead to disability or even death.

First aid

Waiting for the doctors start treating and helping your child yourself, following a simple strategy to cool the baby's body. The main thing is to do everything quickly:

• move the child to a cooler place or to the shade;
• remove excess clothing;
• provide plenty of fluids, give cool liquids containing salt and sugar;
• You can give breast milk, formula milk, or baby food to a baby under one year of age.

bring down the temperature

Bringing down the temperature is the first action that you should do after calling the doctors. Try to lower your core body temperature as quickly as possible. Watch the child's mind, as sunstroke can very easily lead to fainting. The condition of the child is directly related to how long the heat stroke lasts.

Do not use antipyretics! The use of an antipyretic drug (such as paracetamol) is inappropriate and even dangerous.

Temperature reduction methods:

• moisten the whole body with water using a sponge or cloth;
• turn on the fan to speed up the heat transfer process;
• wipe the entire skin with alcohol or kefir;
• use ice packs by placing them under the armpits, in the groin, on the neck, since these areas are rich in blood vessels;
• Immerse the victim in a bath or shower with cold water.

Prevention

Prevention is a precaution to prevent heat stroke in a child and other heat-related illnesses.

• If you are going to be outdoors, wear a light, wide-brimmed hat or use an umbrella to avoid direct sunlight and burns.
• Encourage your children to always drink plenty of fluids before and during any activity in hot and sunny weather, even if they are not thirsty.
• Babies who are breastfed also need more liquid from a bottle or breast.
• If you are a breastfeeding mother, you should increase your fluid intake to prevent dehydration.

• Dress your children in light and loose clothing.
• If you go for a walk, take sunglasses, a hat and cream with you.
• Do not allow children to be outdoors during the hottest hours of the day.
• Warn them to come indoors immediately when they feel unwell and stay at home until the effects of sunstroke are gone.
• The room should be well ventilated, preferably with air conditioning.

And most importantly - never leave a child unattended in a car, on the street, at the sea, etc. during the hot season.

Summer is a long-awaited time for every child. During this time of the year, especially on hot days, children spend a lot of time outside, so parents should be aware that prolonged exposure to the sun can lead to heat stroke. It is very important to know how to prevent heat stroke and what to do if this trouble does happen to the child.

Many parents underestimate the dangers of heat stroke, but in vain - the duration of the child's exposure to the open sun in the summer season must be strictly controlled. What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is a pathological condition of a person that occurs under the influence of high temperatures, in which the process of thermoregulation is disturbed. The body receives a large amount of heat from the outside, in addition to that generated as a result of vital activity, which leads to overheating.

Long stay leads to heat stroke:

• outdoors in the summer heat;
• in a room with high air temperature;
• in clothes that are too warm for the season.

Causes of heat stroke

The main reason is a strong overheating of the body. With a long stay in a hot room or on the street in the summer heat, a malfunction occurs in the part of the brain responsible for thermoregulation. The heat generated by a person accumulates in the body and cannot be released.

The process of heat transfer in humans occurs when sweat is produced, which evaporates, cooling the body. Heat is also given off by inhaling cold air and expanding capillaries close to the surface of the skin. In summer, the air temperature is high, which means that body heat is not released to warm it. Other types of thermoregulation do their job well, if you do not create obstacles for them.

In order to protect the child from overheating, care must be taken to ensure that he has something to quench his thirst, and clothes do not prevent sweat from evaporating. Fluid from the surface of the body evaporates only if the ambient air is drier than the air under clothing. With high humidity, sweat does not evaporate, but flows down in a stream, while the surface of the skin is not cooled. Clothing should not be too close to the body, so as not to interfere with the removal of heat.

The main factors preventing heat transfer are:

• air temperature exceeding body temperature at which heat is not removed from the body;
• high air humidity values;
• synthetic or too warm clothes;
• prolonged exposure to direct sunlight;
• physical activity in the summer heat;
• excess weight;
• fair-skinned children are more prone to overheating;
• pathology of the central nervous system;
• unstable thermoregulation system.

Symptoms in children at different ages

Signs of hyperthermia in children are more pronounced than in adults, and the clinical condition can deteriorate very quickly.

When overheated, dehydration and intoxication of the body occur, which lead to serious complications and pose a threat to the health and life of the child. If you experience characteristic symptoms, you should consult a doctor.

Symptoms of heat stroke in infants vary. In order to help the child in time and avoid the transition of the disease to a more severe form, it is necessary to know how it manifests itself and how long overheating lasts in children.

Signs in the chest

Babies under one year old are often supercooled and easily overheated, so it is not necessary to wrap them up in a well-heated room. Heat stroke can be identified by the following signs:

• baby crying loudly
• the face turns red, the temperature rises;
• sticky sweat appears on the tummy and back;
• signs of dehydration appear (reddened eyes, dry armpits and lips);
• poor appetite;
• general weakness, apathy.

In infants, the process of dehydration of the body occurs very quickly, therefore, at the first symptoms of heat stroke, it is necessary to seek medical help.

If a child has characteristic symptoms, he needs to provide first aid and contact a medical institution. If heat stroke is not recognized in time in an infant, he may experience severe dehydration, loss of consciousness.

Symptoms in children older than one year

Too warm clothes provoke overheating in children older than a year. This is also facilitated by the increased activity of babies, in which their body temperature rises, and clothes do not allow heat to come out. In unventilated warm rooms, the likelihood of overheating increases.

In children older than 1-2 years, it is much easier to recognize heat stroke, as the symptoms are more pronounced:

• with a mild degree of overheating, babies are characterized by increased physical activity, leading to a deterioration in the condition;
• dizziness;
• headache;
• strong feeling of thirst;
• increase in body temperature;
• skin redness;
• dry lips;
• sudden bouts of vomiting;
• nausea;
• general weakness.

With mild heatstroke, the baby feels weak and constantly thirsty, nausea and vomiting are possibleFirst aid for symptoms

At the first symptoms of heat stroke in a child, doctors should be called. Before their arrival, parents must do the following:

• Move the child to a well-ventilated, cool area.
• Lay the baby on a horizontal surface.
• If the child is fainting, it is necessary to raise his legs, after placing a towel or some clothing under them. This position improves blood flow to the head.
• With severe vomiting, you need to turn the baby's head to the side to ensure the flow of air to the lungs.
• If clothing is made of synthetic materials or restricts movement, it must be completely removed.
• To avoid dehydration, the child must be given water to drink. It should be given often in small sips. To restore the salt balance, it is better to give mineral water or saline solutions, such as Regidron, Trihydron, Reosalan - this will help prevent convulsions.
• Any cloth moistened with water should be applied to the back of the head and neck. She can also wipe the child's body or gradually pour water at room temperature. It is impossible to bring a heated baby into a cold body of water.

For heat stroke, apply a cold compress to the child's forehead.

• Something cold should be applied to the forehead, such as a bottle or a bag. The newborn can be completely wrapped in a wet towel or sheet.
• For proper breathing, it is necessary to ensure the flow of air with a fan or newspaper.
• When fainting, the baby can be given a sniff of a cotton swab moistened with a solution of ammonia, which can be found in any car first-aid kit.
• In case of a sudden stoppage of breathing in a child, if the medical team has not yet arrived, it is necessary to give him artificial respiration. To do this, the baby’s head is slightly thrown back, with one hand they cover the baby’s nose, and with the other they hold the chin. After a deep breath, release air into the mouth for a few seconds. When air enters the lungs, the chest should rise.

Heat stroke treatment

Treatment of hyperthermia begins with the provision of first aid to the child. After the arrival of the doctors, the patient is hospitalized and medical measures are continued in a hospital setting. A child who has suffered a heat stroke must be treated. Otherwise, it is very difficult to avoid serious consequences for the health of the baby.

How to help the baby?

The first task of parents with heat stroke in infants is to lower body temperature. To do this, it must be completely undressed or swaddled.

Then they move on to other cooling methods:

• wipe the baby's body with water, the temperature of which should not be lower than 20 ° C, too cold water can provoke a deterioration in the condition;
• wrap the newborn in a cold diaper, which must be changed every 8-10 minutes;
• put the child in a bath with water at room temperature for 5-7 minutes.

If the procedures are carried out at home, then it is necessary that the air conditioner or fan work in the room. If first aid is provided on the street, then the patient is transferred to the shade.

After overheating, the newborn is provided with a constant supply of fluid to the body. Every 30 minutes, the baby needs to drink at least 50 ml of water or breast milk. With hyperthermia, accompanied by vomiting, the dose of liquid is increased.

If heat stroke is accompanied by cardiac arrest, the baby is given artificial respiration, alternating it with a heart massage. Each breath should be followed by 5 compressions on the lower part of the sternum.

Treatment of babies 2-3 years old

With hyperthermia in a child 2-3 years old, treatment is carried out in a similar way. Ambulance doctors assess the general condition of the patient and, if necessary, hospitalize him in a hospital.

Treatment for heat stroke depends on its severity, sometimes doctors insist on hospitalization of the child

The scheme of drug therapy for children under 4 years of age is as follows:

• taking anti-shock and antipyretic drugs with a dosage corresponding to the age of the child;
• intravenous administration of solutions to normalize the electrolyte balance in the child's body;
• taking hormonal drugs to improve hemodynamics;
• anticonvulsants are prescribed as needed;
• in critical situations, tracheal intubation is performed.

Therapy for children over 3 years old

Children of preschool and school age have more stable thermoregulation, but, despite this, they can also get heat stroke when they stay in the sun for a long time or in a very warm room. In a hospital setting, therapy is performed using the following medications:

• drugs Droperidol and Aminazine are administered intravenously according to the instructions;
• saline solutions are infused with a dropper to prevent dehydration and normalize electrolyte levels;
• cardiotonics normalize the work of the cardiovascular system;
• hormonal agents;
• anticonvulsants Diazepam and Seduxen are used for treatment only when needed.

Consequences of hyperthermia

With hyperthermia, help should be provided immediately. If medical procedures are not performed in the first hours after the pathology is detected, the child will experience severe complications:

1. Thickening of the blood. Occurs due to lack of fluid, leads to heart failure, thrombosis, heart attack.
2. Severe form of renal failure. In most cases, it appears under the influence of metabolic products formed in the body at high temperatures.
3. Respiratory failure. Associated with changes in the part of the brain responsible for respiratory function. With hyperthermia, it manifests itself in an acute form.
4. Damage to the central nervous system, the main symptoms of which are: severe vomiting, fainting, hearing, speech and vision disorders.
5. Shock is one of the most dangerous conditions that occurs due to dehydration. With an imbalance of electrolytes in the body, the blood supply to most internal organs is disrupted.

Heatstroke is especially dangerous for young children and the elderly. They develop overheating and hypothermia much faster. However, not all parents know how to identify the problem. After reading this article, you will learn what are the symptoms and treatment of heat stroke in a child.

What it is?

The term "heatstroke" refers to a condition that was the result of excessive overheating of the whole body and the brain in particular. In this case, the body loses the ability to maintain its own normal temperature. The lack of adequate thermoregulation leads to a variety of disorders, many of which pose a serious danger to the child.

Hyperthermia (overheating) causes a violation of the activity of organs and systems.

In childhood, the thermoregulation center, which is located in the brain, is not yet mature enough, it is difficult for the baby to cope with high temperatures. This age feature complicates his condition when overheated. If a child has chronic diseases, congenital pathologies, then heat stroke is a mortal danger.

It should not be assumed that heat stroke is only called sun damage, which children can get if they stay in the open rays of the sun for too long. Heat stroke can be obtained in cloudy weather, and not only on the street, but also under the roof - for example, in a bathhouse, in a sauna.

There are only two reasons why heat stroke develops:

• exposure to high temperatures from the outside;
• the inability to quickly adapt and compensate for excessive overheating.

There are many factors that influence the likelihood of developing this condition.- the age of the child (the younger the baby, the more likely the blow), prior medication (antibiotics, immunostimulants or immunosuppressants, as well as hormonal drugs), a tendency to allergies, and even increased sensitivity to weather changes, which, by the way, is observed in most babies.

The most detrimental thermal effect affects children with diabetes mellitus, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, including those with congenital malformations, children suffering from bronchial asthma, children with mental illnesses and diseases of the nervous system, very thin children and overweight toddlers, and also in children with hepatitis.

The most dangerous age in terms of the development of severe heat stroke is 1-2-3 years.

Among the additional negative factors that in every possible way contribute to the occurrence of pathology are closed clothing that creates the effect of a greenhouse, high humidity, and dehydration in a child. Especially dangerous is heatstroke, which occurs when several unfavorable circumstances coincide - for example, in a small child whom his parents took to rest in an exotic country, because. Complex biological processes of acclimatization are added to age. In combination with the heat, the effect will not be long in coming, and such a baby may well end up in intensive care.

Many parents still confuse sunstroke with heatstroke. Having provided the child with a panama hat and an umbrella from the sun, they believe that he is reliably insured against overheating. Such a toddler is really protected from sunstroke, but he may well get heat in a panama hat and under an umbrella in the shade - if he stays in the heat for too long.

The thermoregulation center is located in the intermediate part of the brain. When overheated, a “failure” occurs in its work, and the body cannot effectively and quickly get rid of excess heat. Usually this physiological process proceeds with sweating. In response to the heat, the thermoregulation center sends a signal to the sweat glands of the skin, they begin to actively produce sweat. Sweat evaporates from the surface of the skin and cools the body.

In a child with heat stroke, the signal from the brain to sweat is delayed, sweat is not produced enough, and the child's sweat ducts are narrow due to age, which also makes it difficult to sweat (in the right amount and at the right speed).

Now imagine that with all this, the child is dressed in synthetic clothing that makes evaporation difficult and does not consume enough liquid. Too humid air (for example, in the tropics or in a bath) does not contribute to evaporation at all. Sweat is released, flows in streams, but there is no relief, the body does not cool.

Heatstroke may be caused by increased physical activity. in the heat - outdoor games on the beach, for example. Children with fair skin and blue eyes suffer the most heat stroke. They overheat faster and give off excess heat more slowly.

The critical temperature is considered to be a temperature above 30 degrees Celsius, for newborns - above 25 degrees Celsius.

Symptoms and signs

There are four clinical forms of heat stroke:

• Asphyxia. All symptoms are associated with impaired respiratory function, up to the development of respiratory failure.
• Hyperthermic. With this form, a high temperature is observed, the thermometer rises above 39.5-41.0 degrees.
• Cerebral. With this form of heat stroke, various disorders of the child's nervous activity are observed - delirium, convulsions, tics, and so on.
• Gastroenteric. Manifestations of this form are usually limited to gastrointestinal disorders - vomiting, diarrhea.

You can recognize the characteristic signs of general hyperthermia in a child by the following symptoms:

• Redness of the skin. If, when exposed to the rays of the sun, the erythema zone is limited to the zone of influence, then with a general heat stroke, erythema is continuous in nature - absolutely all skin integuments turn red.
• Difficulty, rapid breathing, shortness of breath. Such signs develop with any type of general temperature damage. Frequent shortness of breath in this case is the body's attempt to cool itself through the lungs.
• General weakness, apathy. The child looks tired, sleepy, he seeks to lie down, ceases to show interest in what is happening.

• Nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are more characteristic of the gastroenteric form, but may accompany other types of heat stroke.
• Dizziness. It can be insignificant, or it can be quite pronounced, up to episodes of loss of balance.
• hallucinations. Visual hallucinations accompany almost all types of heat stroke. Usually they manifest themselves in the subjective perception of non-existent points in front of the eyes, the so-called flies. Young children in response to this may begin to wave their arms, trying to "drive" them away.
• Rapid and weak pulse. It exceeds the normal values ​​​​by about one and a half times, it is difficult to feel.

• Dryness of the skin. To the touch, the skin becomes rougher, dry and hot.
• Cramps and muscle pain. Seizures can cover only the limbs, and can be extended to the whole body. More often, the convulsive syndrome is in the nature of trembling of the arms and legs.
• Sleep and appetite disturbance. Both parameters can be violated to a certain extent, it can reach the complete refusal of the child from food, water and sleep.
• Incontinence. The inability to control urination and defecation occurs only in severe heat stroke associated with loss of consciousness.

When symptoms characteristic of hyperthermia appear, parents should assess the severity of the condition.

With a mild form in a child, the skin always remains moist. A complex of symptoms is observed: headache, fever, lethargy, nausea and shortness of breath, as well as increased heart rate. But there is no loss of consciousness, there are no neurological manifestations.

With moderate severity, the temperature is high, the baby moves little and reluctantly, short-term episodes of loss of consciousness may be observed. The headache grows, symptoms of intoxication appear - vomiting and diarrhea (or one thing). The skin is red and hot.

With a severe course, the child is delirious, loses consciousness, experiences convulsions, speech may be confused, there are hallucinations. The temperature is at the level of 41.0, sometimes it reaches 42.0 degrees. The skin is red, dry and very hot.

It is possible to distinguish heat stroke from sunstroke by a combination of clinical signs. After excessive exposure to the sun, there is only a severe headache, nausea, and the temperature rarely rises to 39.5 degrees.

Danger and Consequences

Heat damage for a child is dangerous primarily due to the state of dehydration. With intense heat, fever and the manifestation of a gag reflex, it occurs very quickly. The younger the peanut, the faster it loses moisture reserves. This is a deadly condition.

The high fever of heat stroke can cause a child to have febrile seizures and other neurological problems. The most dangerous are severe degrees of impact, with them the forecasts are rather doubtful.

Mild degrees of heat stroke are usually treated with little or no sequelae. Moderate and severe can lead to the development of renal failure, respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest, as well as long-term consequences, which are mainly expressed by serious neurological disorders. Sometimes they stay with the child for life.

Severe overheating of the brain can cause a wide range of disorders in all organs and systems.

First aid

If the child has signs of heat stroke, an ambulance should be called as soon as possible. While doctors are on call, the task of parents is to properly provide emergency care. The main direction is the cooling of the body. And here the main thing is not to overdo it.

The algorithm of actions is as follows:

• The child is placed in the shade, brought into a cool room, securely sheltered from sunlight. If the blow happened after the bath - they take it out into the street.
• Remove all tight and tight-fitting clothing. Unbutton trousers, remove belts.
• The child should be laid on his back if there is no nausea, or on his side if there is nausea and vomiting. The baby's legs are slightly raised by placing a towel folded with a roller or any other object under them.
• Cold compresses are applied to the forehead, back of the head, hands, feet. Suitable pieces of cloth, towels soaked in cold water. However, in no case should ice be used, since excessive cooling can cause vascular collapse.

• Open all windows if the child is indoors so that there is no shortage of fresh air.
• While waiting for the doctor, you can douse the body with cool water (the temperature of the liquid is from 18 to 20 degrees, no less). If it is possible to fill the bath with water of this temperature, it is worth doing this and immersing the child in water, leaving only the head above the surface of the water.
• With bouts of loss of consciousness, the child is given a sniff of ammonia.

• With convulsions, they do not hold the body of the child, do not straighten the reduced muscles, this is fraught with fractures. You can’t unclench your teeth and shove an iron spoon into your baby’s mouth - you can break your teeth, the fragments of which can get into the airways.
• In all cases (with the exception of loss of consciousness and convulsions), the child is given a plentiful warm drink. After fainting, sweet weak tea is also given. It is forbidden to give strong tea to a child, as this can adversely affect cardiac activity.
• In the absence of breathing and heartbeat, emergency artificial respiration is performed and an indirect heart massage is performed.
• Do not give your child any medication until the arrival of the medical team. In the presence of convulsions and episodes of loss of consciousness, it is imperative to record the time of the onset and end of seizures in order to report this information to the visiting doctor.

With a mild degree of heat stroke, the child will be treated at home.

Moderate and severe conditions require hospitalization.

First medical aid, of course, will be provided on the spot. If necessary, the child will undergo a heart massage, artificial respiration, and drugs to normalize cardiac activity. But the rest will be done by the doctors of the children's hospital.

Usually, intensive rehydration therapy is carried out on the first day. A large amount of saline is injected intravenously with the minerals necessary for the normal functioning of the heart and nervous system. When the risk of dehydration recedes, the child is examined by all specialists, first of all - a cardiologist, a neurologist, a pediatrician. If pathologies caused by hyperthermia are detected, appropriate treatment will be prescribed.

A high temperature after heat stroke usually lasts for several days. All this time, the child is recommended to take antipyretics based on paracetamol.

It is necessary to treat at home a mild degree of heat stroke, taking into account the same requirements. Reduce the temperature if it rises to high values, give the child oral rehydration solutions to drink - Smekta, Regidron.

When the first signs of dehydration appear, hospitalization should not be delayed, since getting a child out of such a state at home is not a task for the faint of heart. Attempts to do it yourself can end very badly.

At home, babies can be wrapped several times a day with a damp, cool diaper; for an older child, a cool bath or shower can be provided. A big mistake parents make is to turn on fans or air conditioning during a wet wrap. Very often, such "treatment" ends with the development of pneumonia.

During home treatment, it is important to give the child as much liquid as possible, all food should be light, quickly digestible. Feed the child only when he asks for it. It is better to give preference to vegetable soups on lean broth, kissels, fruit drinks, cereals without butter, fruit and vegetable salads.

The diet should be followed until the complete disappearance of all symptoms and the normalization of the gastrointestinal tract.

Prevention

The prudence of parents and their observance of simple safety rules will help protect the child from heat stroke:

• If you plan to relax on the beach, long walks in the hot season, you should make sure that the child has clothes made from natural fabrics, in which the baby's skin can freely "breathe" and evaporate sweat. Light-colored clothing is best because it reflects sunlight and reduces the chance of overheating.
• When you are on the beach, for a walk, in the bath, the child's head should always be covered with a light Panama hat or a special bath cap.

• You should not walk or sunbathe for a long time after 11 am and before 4 pm. Before and after this time, you can sunbathe and walk, but with restrictions. A child (especially a newborn or infant) should not be in the open sun, even during "safe" hours.
• If the child is small, then it is better to refuse active beach activities (trampoline, banana riding, beach ball games).
• Parents who do not see anything wrong with relaxing with a baby on the beach should remember that the baby should in no case spend his lunchtime nap there, even if he lies under an umbrella in the shade. This increases the risk of heat stroke tenfold.
• In the hot season, as well as when visiting a bath or sauna, be sure to give your child plenty of fluids to drink. Carbonated drinks are not suitable for this purpose. It is better to use cooked and pre-chilled compote, fruit drink, ordinary drinking water.

• Never leave your child in a closed car in the parking lot of a store or other establishments during the hot season. At a temperature of about 25 degrees Celsius, the car interior overheats in 15 minutes. At the same time, the temperature inside the cabin is significantly higher than the thermometer outside. Very often, such stories end in the death of babies.
• It is not necessary to feed the child tightly and plentifully in the heat. Moreover, fatty foods should be avoided. It is better to give light fruits and vegetables, sparse soups during the day.

It is better to postpone a thorough meal until the evening when it becomes cool. Do not take the child out for a walk immediately after eating. If it is hot outside, then you can go for a walk only an hour and a half after lunch or breakfast.

Doctor Komarovsky will tell you how to protect a child from heat stroke in the next video.

The holiday season is ahead. We all missed the sun and warmth during the winter. But the sun and heat are not as harmless as it seems at first glance. Even in our latitudes, no one is immune from solar and heat stroke. Especially when it comes to children.

Today we will talk about a topic that is very relevant for all parents in the summer: heat and sunstroke. Moreover, the relevance remains regardless of where you will relax with your children - at sea or in the country.

We will analyze the causes and symptoms of heat and sunstroke, first aid, and, of course, the prevention of such conditions.

The consequences of overheating are often underestimated by parents. Heat stroke in children is a serious problem. The insidiousness of this condition lies in the fact that the first symptoms of the disease can be perceived as the beginning of a cold or simple malaise and fatigue.

Late diagnosis always leads to a neglected condition and, therefore, to serious consequences that require serious treatment. That is why every parent needs to know everything about overheating of the body and about measures to prevent it.

What is heat stroke and sunstroke?

Heat stroke is a pathological condition in which all processes of thermoregulation in the body are disrupted due to prolonged exposure to high temperatures. That is, a large amount of heat comes from outside. In addition, heat is produced in the body itself (the mechanism of heat production works), but there is no heat transfer.

Heatstroke can develop outdoors in hot weather, in a hot heated room. This can also happen in conditions of not very high ambient temperatures, if the child is wrapped up very warmly.

Sunstroke is a separate form of heat stroke. This condition is characterized by a violation of the state of health due to exposure to direct sunlight directly on the head of the child.

Young children are especially susceptible to this condition. In babies, the processes of thermoregulation are still imperfect due to age. They often develop heat stroke even at low ambient temperatures. Also in young children there is a rapid progression of the disease.

In infants, the diagnosis of overheating is complicated by the fact that children cannot complain, tell what worries them. Yes, and the symptoms of overheating of the child are nonspecific. Lethargy, moody behavior, tearfulness can be for various reasons. These symptoms are not always immediately associated with overheating. Therefore, it is very important to protect babies from the sun and heat, and indeed from any overheating.

Causes of overheating

Although sunstroke is considered a special form of heatstroke, they are not identical. At least because they have different causes.

In other words, if a child is in hot weather in the shade, with a hat, then he will not have a sunstroke, but he is not immune from the development of heatstroke.

The cause of heat stroke is the general overheating of the whole body with prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Due to overheating in the work of the thermoregulation center in the diencephalon, a breakdown occurs. The body actively produces heat, but cannot give it away.

Heat transfer normally occurs mainly with the production of sweat. Sweat, evaporating from the surface of the skin, cools the human body.

Additional options for heat transfer are the expenditure of energy (heat) for warming the inhaled air and expanding blood capillaries near the surface of the skin (a person turns red).

During hot weather, little heat is spent on warming the inhaled air. And two other mechanisms of thermoregulation work. Unless, of course, we interfere with them ...

What to do not to interfere? Everything is simple! Firstly, parents should pay special attention so that the child has something to sweat, and his clothes allow sweat to evaporate.

There is one more nuance here. Fluid (in this case, sweat) evaporates if the surrounding air is drier than the layer of air directly around the body, under clothing. At high humidity, sweat flows in a stream, but does not evaporate. Simple laws of physics work. Therefore, skin cooling does not occur.

Plus, to avoid overheating, clothing should be loose so that heat from dilated blood capillaries is freely removed from the skin.

Let's summarize what has been said and add something, systematically answering the question: "What leads to a violation of heat transfer?"

So, the following factors make it difficult to transfer heat and cool the body:

• heat (air temperature above 30 ° C). At temperatures above 36 ° C, heat is not removed from the skin surface at all, and sweat does not evaporate;
• high air humidity;
• improperly dressed (dressed too warmly or dressed in synthetic clothing in which the skin cannot breathe, and sweat does not evaporate and is not absorbed);
• prolonged exposure to the sun (no shade);
• intense physical activity in the heat;
• lack of fluid intake (the child drinks little);
• excess subcutaneous fat in chubby children prevents the release of heat.
• fair-skinned, fair-haired children tolerate heat worse;
• taking antiallergic (antihistamine) drugs slows down heat transfer;
• violation of the heat transfer process may occur due to the pathology of the central nervous system or due to the physiological immaturity of the thermoregulation system in infants.

Heatstroke can also develop in babies who are in a closed car in the heat or during a traffic jam when the car is practically not in motion. When the outside temperature is around 32-33°C, the temperature inside the vehicle may rise to 50°C within 15-20 minutes.

Now let's talk about sunstroke. It is a consequence of the direct rays of the sun on the head of a person. That is, the cause of a sunstroke can be expressed in a simple speech turnover: "Head is hot."

The timing of the symptoms of sunstroke varies. It happens that something is wrong immediately, while in the sun. But often the symptoms of sunstroke develop delayed, 6-9 hours after returning from a walk in direct sunlight.

The main signs of heat stroke

In the clinic of heat stroke, three degrees of severity can be distinguished.

With a mild degree, headache, dizziness, nausea, increased heart rate, shortness of breath, dilated pupils appear. The skin is moist.

Even with a mild form of heat stroke, you should definitely consult a doctor. If the child was treated on time, hospitalization is usually not needed.

Heatstroke of moderate severity is characterized by an increasing headache in combination with nausea and vomiting. The skin is red. Characterized by an increase in temperature up to 40 ° C. The heartbeat and respiratory rate increase.

The child has pronounced adynamia (unwillingness to move). There is a confused consciousness, a state of stupor, the movements of the baby are uncertain. There may be a fainting state or a short-term loss of consciousness.

A severe form is evidenced by loss of consciousness, a state similar to a coma, the appearance of convulsions. Psychomotor agitation, hallucinations, confusion of speech may also develop.

On examination, the skin is dry and hot. The temperature reaches 42 ° C, the pulse is weak and frequent (up to 120-130 beats per minute). Breathing is shallow, intermittent. Short-term respiratory arrest is possible. Heart sounds are muffled.

The main symptoms of sunstroke

Pronounced weakness, lethargy, headache, accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Often one of the first signs of a stroke is vomiting or diarrhea. Older children complain of tinnitus, flies. The baby's body temperature rises.

The skin is red, especially on the face, head. The pulse is frequent weak filling, breathing is speeded up. There is increased sweating. Often there is a nosebleed.

Symptoms of severe damage are similar to those of heat stroke (loss of consciousness, disorientation, rapid, then slow breathing, convulsive muscle contractions).

Doctors single out another concept in violation of heat exchange - heat exhaustion. This condition may precede the development of a more serious pathological condition - heat stroke. Thus, we can say that heat exhaustion is a heat stroke.

With untimely diagnosis or inadequate treatment of heat exhaustion, the process can progress and lead to disastrous consequences, sometimes even fatal.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke in a comparison table:

First aid for overheating

1. Move the child to a shady or cool ventilated place. Try to keep the area around the victim open. It is necessary to exclude a mass congestion of people (onlookers). Call an ambulance.
2. Lay the child in a horizontal position.
3. If consciousness is disturbed, the legs should be in an elevated position. Place a piece of clothing or a towel under your ankles. This will increase blood flow to the brain.
4. If nausea or vomiting has already begun, turn your head to the side so that the child does not choke on vomit.
5. Remove outer clothing from the baby. Loosen your neck and chest. It is best to remove tight or synthetic clothing altogether.
6. The child must be thoroughly fed with water. Give water in small portions, but often. The water should not be very cold, as this can cause stomach cramps and vomiting. It is better to drink with mineral water or special saline solutions (Rehydron, Normohydron). The baby loses salt with sweat. Due to their rapid mass loss, the concentration of electrolytes in the body decreases. This can result in seizures. Salt solutions quickly restore water and electrolyte composition
7. Wet any cloth with cool water and apply it to the forehead, neck, or back of the head. Wipe the baby's body with a wet cloth. You can gradually douse the body more and more with water at a temperature of about 20 ° C. It is impossible to abruptly bring a heated baby into the water (sea, pond).
8. Then apply a cold compress (bag or bottle of cold water) to the forehead or back of the head. A very small child can be wrapped in a wet diaper or sheet.
9. Provide fresh air. Fan it with fan-shaped movements.
10. If the baby’s consciousness is clouded, carefully let him sniff a cotton ball moistened with 10% ammonia (available in any car first aid kit).
11. In an emergency, when the baby stops breathing, when the medical team has not yet arrived, you need to save the child yourself. We'll have to remember what was taught in the lessons of medical or military training. You need to slightly tilt the child's head so that the chin goes forward. One hand should be placed on the chin, and the other should cover the child's nose. Take a breath. Release the air for 1-1.5 seconds into the child's mouth, tightly clasping the baby's lips. Make sure the baby's chest rises. So you will understand that the air went exactly into the lungs. After suffering a heat illness, it is simply necessary to adhere to bed rest for several days. These recommendations should not be violated. After all, this time is necessary for a small organism to restore the normal functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular systems, to normalize some metabolic processes.

Top 10 Rules for Preventing Heat Disorders

Parents should always remember about preventive measures for such conditions. Children are a risk group. They may experience heat or sunstroke even with short exposure to the sun or in a stuffy, hot environment.

Prevention of thermal disorders in children is best dealt with in advance.

1. When walking in sunny weather, dress your child in light-colored clothes made from natural fabrics. White color reflects the sun's rays. Loose natural fabrics allow the body to breathe and sweat to evaporate.
2. Always protect the baby's head with a light-colored panama or hat with a brim. For an older child, protect your eyes with tinted goggles.
3. Avoid resting during the sunniest hours. These are hours from 12 to 16 hours, and in the southern regions - even from 10 am to 5 pm.
4. The child should not be in direct sunlight, that is, in open areas. It should be in the shade (under an umbrella, the sandbox should be with a roof).
5. Plan your vacation so that the child does not have intense physical activity in the heat (trampoline jumping, air slides, excursions).
6. Alternate sunbathing (up to 20 minutes) with swimming. It is better to sunbathe while on the move, and only in the morning and evening. Under no circumstances should a child spend their lunchtime nap on the beach.
7. Children are strictly forbidden to sunbathe, so do not insist that the child lie on the beach with you (sunbathe). Do not be indignant that he cannot lie or sit still for more than three seconds))
8. Children need to drink a lot! Under normal conditions, the child should drink 1-1.5 liters of fluid. When the air temperature rises above 30 degrees, this volume can be up to 3 liters of water. Maintaining water balance is one of the important measures to prevent heat illness. Even breastfed babies need extra water. It will be more convenient for mommy to give it not through a spoon, but from a syringe without a needle. In this case, you need to direct the stream of water along the wall of the cheek. So he won't spit it out. Otherwise, he will definitely do it. He will quickly realize that this is not mother's milk at all, but something much less tasty ... Although I must say that some children drink water very willingly.
9. Periodically wipe the face, hands of the child with a wet diaper. Wash your baby often. So you will help him cool down and wash off the annoying sweat, from which the children immediately develop prickly heat.
10. Proper nutrition in the heat is also worth paying attention to. In hot weather, do not eat heavily. Children, as a rule, do not want to eat during the hours of the sun. Give your child the opportunity to snack on juicy fruits and vegetables, light milk products. Transfer a full meal to the evening. Do not rush in hot weather to go outside immediately after eating. At best, this can only be done in an hour.
11. At the slightest suspicion of feeling unwell and unwell, immediately stop walking or relaxing on the beach. Seek medical attention.

These simple rules will help you and your children enjoy sunny weather without fear for health. May the sun bless you!

In hot, poorly ventilated conditions and high humidity, there is a high risk of heat stroke. Due to the high air temperature, the human body quickly overheats, the metabolism becomes much faster, and the vessels swell, while the permeability of the capillaries increases significantly. Therefore, with heat stroke, a person’s well-being deteriorates sharply and a number of alarming symptoms appear. This is where the questions become especially relevant: how long does a heat stroke last, and also how can this condition be overcome?

What are the risk factors for heatstroke?

Heatstroke can affect not only those who spend time under the hot sun, but also drivers in their cars, shop workers, athletes and other people of various occupations. Even employees of saunas and baths or an office employee in which the air conditioner has broken down are at risk.

There are 3 components to heatstroke:

1. Heat.
2. High humidity.
3. Excessive heat production.

Also, muscle activity can lead to heat stroke.

At first glance, heat stroke does not seem so serious and dangerous to human health and life, but without timely help, it can lead to vascular collapse, coma, and even death. A person in a state of heat stroke needs outside help and prompt restoration of the water-salt balance. And, if you suspect that a person close or even unfamiliar to you has symptoms of heat stroke, then hurry to offer him help.

Risk of heat stroke in children

Heat strokes are especially common in children, since, taking into account their anatomical features, increased heat production is often pathological.

This is due to the following features:

• children's bodies are much smaller;
• heat transfer and heat production are not stable;
• the core of thermogenesis is easily irritated;
• compensatory mechanisms are unstable.

Heatstroke manifests itself much more strongly than in an adult and can cause:

• the strongest expansion of capillaries;
• blood clots and arterial-venous shunts;
• the occurrence of metabolic pathology;
• intoxication of the body;
• hypoxia and other disorders.

All this is detrimental to a young organism and can lead to the development of kidney, liver and heart disease.

Heat stroke symptoms and first aid

Heat stroke can be identified by the following symptoms:

• dry mouth and thirst;
• weakness and body aches;
• severe headache;
• difficulty breathing and stuffiness;
• pain in the chest;
• constant aching pain in the lower extremities and back.

Also, with heat stroke, breathing and the frequency of myocardial contractions are accelerated. Hypothermia causes the skin to turn pink with signs of irritation. After some time, blood pressure begins to decrease significantly and urination is disturbed. Sometimes in children with heat stroke, the body temperature reaches 41 degrees, which is very bad for health and is fraught with serious complications.

Symptoms that require urgent hospitalization:

• the face looks swollen;
• the skin has a cyanotic appearance;
• breathing is complicated and intermittent;
• pupils noticeably dilated;
• disturbing muscle cramps appeared;
• fever;
• diarrhea and gastroenteritis;
• urination stops.

How long a heat stroke lasts depends on many factors, but, first of all, on its degree. So, a mild degree of heat stroke is accompanied by redness of the skin and a temperature of up to 39 or even 41 degrees. This state can last for 2-4 days spent on vacation. If brain neurons were damaged as a result of heat stroke, then even prolonged treatment with the use of modern drugs will not help to fully restore health.

There is a group of people who are especially at risk of getting heatstroke. It includes those who have an innate sensitivity to high temperatures, as well as people who are overweight, suffer from excessive stress and are in a state of psycho-emotional overstrain, have cardiovascular and endocrine diseases, neurological diseases, are intoxicated, smoke, dress in tight clothes, etc.

Most often, heat stroke manifests itself in the form of severe thirst (a person cannot get drunk), weakness, muscle pain and a gradual acceleration of the pulse. If the disease flows into a more severe form, then convulsions appear, involuntary defecation and urination occur. The condition may worsen and the patient will begin to vomit and bleed. Although children are more at risk from the sun than adults, they are able to heal themselves without the need for hospitalization due to their reactivity. Adults, on the contrary, endure even a small heat stroke much more difficult and, even with an average degree, require immediate mandatory hospitalization.

If the first signs of a blow are found, it is necessary to provide assistance to the victim and carry out the following procedures:

• drink as much water as possible to stop dehydration;
• loosen the collar and belt;
• cool the skin
• remove synthetic clothing;

In most cases, just taking the person to a cool room or shade, giving water, and moistening the skin with cool water is enough to make them feel better. If the symptoms indicate a moderate or severe degree of heat stroke, you should do the same, but also lay the victim down, raise his legs and call an ambulance.

Medical care for heat stroke

With moderate or severe heat stroke, qualified medical attention is needed.

As a rule, the following drugs are used for treatment:

1. Antipyretics (paracetamol and ibuprofen);
2. Vasoconstrictors (cavinton, vinpocetine, trental);
3. Painkillers (analgin and infulgan).

Antipyretic drugs are used only if the temperature has exceeded 39 degrees. Basically, small doses of paracetamol are used; for children, antipyretics are prescribed in the form of suppositories. In very severe cases, infulgan is used intravenously. Antipyretics can reduce the duration of the course of the disease and normalize blood supply. If the patient is not on the mend, in rare cases, hydrocortisone and prednisolone are used. It is necessary to introduce these drugs very carefully, gradually increasing the dose and reducing them when it is canceled. Also, patients are given cleansing enemas and recommended daily cool showers to relieve overheating.

How to treat heat stroke at home

There are a number of ways to manage symptoms of heat stroke at home:

• apply cool compresses to the head to relieve headaches and reduce fever;
• apply cold compresses to the main vessels and liver to reduce temperature and prevent complications;
• wash the stomach;
• do warm enemas;
• wrap in a cool sheet or diaper.

Wrapping yourself in a cool cloth is one of the simplest and oldest ways to deal with heatstroke. In particular, babies are often wrapped in diapers, as this can quickly lower the body temperature, soothe and reduce the discomfort caused by heat stroke. You can also take a cool shower, standing under water for as long as possible. For mild shock, cool packs and compresses are usually sufficient to provide relief. Several procedures and rest will allow you to quickly forget about heat stroke and return to a normal life rhythm.

If all these actions do not bring results and there is no noticeable improvement in the condition, then medications are needed.

In order to avoid complications, it is worth using special preparations and mixtures in addition to physical methods in time. So, it is safest to prepare a lytic mixture (chlorpromazine, dibazol and pipolfen are mixed in novocaine), which quite effectively fights the effects of heat stroke.

For even greater results, you can use droperidol, and with muscle cramps, sodium oxybutyrate and seduxen will help. You should not use antipyretics when the temperature dropped to 37.5 and carry out active drug treatment, unless there are good reasons for this. Particular care must be taken when handling children. Do not rush to apply therapeutic procedures and "knock down" the temperature. With heatstroke, it is important to prevent complications, and fever is only one of the symptoms and is not the object of treatment.

When does heat stroke start and how long does it last?

It is difficult to determine the duration of heat stroke, since its first symptoms can always be noticed at the very beginning. Often, dry mouth, feeling thirsty, weakness and headaches already indicate that you have received a heat stroke. However, these symptoms may not be noticed, and only when an arrhythmia appears, the temperature rises and other symptoms manifest themselves, it becomes clear that the matter is heat stroke. Further, it can go into a severe stage, and even cause damage to the nervous system.

Heatstroke and the fever that accompanies it have stages of development and decline:

1. Prodromal (often proceeds almost imperceptibly);
2. Rise (sometimes critical or lyrical);
3. Stability;
4. reverse lysis.

In the beginning, heatstroke seems to warm up. The nervous system is in an extremely high tone, but the peripheral arteries are not, at the same time the blood flow is "centralized". Due to problems with peripheral microcirculation, the so-called "goosebumps" appear, chills, trembling and an acute feeling of cold join it. Not missing this moment and starting to act already at this stage, you can prevent unpleasant consequences and overcome heat stroke faster. Different people experience symptoms at this stage in different ways and with varying degrees of severity. Someone clearly feels the changes, while others begin to understand that they received a heat stroke only at the stage of rising fever.

The development of the disease is critical when the temperature rises to high levels very quickly (on average, in 40-45 minutes), but also quickly decreases if measures are taken and treatment is carried out. The lyrical course of the disease is much more dangerous and longer. It is largely prolonged and may not be accompanied by a persistent high temperature, but it is accompanied by lethargy, drowsiness, a drop in blood pressure, and an accelerated heart rate. It is important to rest during this entire period and not try to endure the disease on your feet, because serious complications are possible.

With rest and proper treatment, you can quickly move into the stability phase, when deterioration is no longer observed, and move into the reverse lysis stage. At this stage, you will experience a noticeable drop in temperature and an improvement in well-being.

How to avoid heat stroke

As already mentioned, there are people who are predisposed to heatstroke, but they can avoid danger if they are careful. It is important to avoid dehydration, small stuffy rooms, not to be in the sun for a long time and not to wear heavy dense fabrics in hot weather. If you feel unwell, try to go to a place where there is shade and coolness, drink water, moisten your face and head with cold water.

Children must be carefully monitored, always wear a hat, give water to drink and not let them play in the sun for a long time. Even if you or your child is at risk, only attentiveness and caution determines whether there is a real chance of getting heat stroke. Avoiding treatment and serious consequences is very simple, you just need to follow simple rules. If it was not possible to save yourself, then it is worth taking all possible measures so that heat stroke lasts as little as possible and does not give you serious cause for concern.

Overheating of the body, especially for children, is a very dangerous problem that can lead to serious consequences. Heatstroke in a child - symptoms and treatment of pathology, its signs, first aid for infants and children older than a year are described in detail below. To prevent the deterioration of the baby's condition during overheating and get rid of the symptoms characteristic of him, parents should learn about the features of the manifestation of sunstroke in advance.

What is heat stroke in a child

The pathological condition of a person caused by overheating is heat stroke. It can occur in an adult and a child, but babies (especially infants) are more affected. This fact is explained by the fact that the thermoregulation system is not fully formed in children, and failures in its work can cause serious consequences. To avoid heat exhaustion or alleviate the condition of the victim, it is better for parents to learn about all the nuances of this problem ahead of time.

Thermal overheating (hyperthermia) differs from solar in that it can occur not only under prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. The condition develops in a stuffy, hot room or in an open space, under any weather conditions. Heat stroke in children is classified into several forms, depending on the predominant symptoms:

1. Hyperthermia (symptoms develop in the form of fever, body temperature can rise to 41 ° C).
2. The asphyxic form is characterized by depression of the respiratory function, the appearance of severe shortness of breath, inhibition of the functions of the central nervous system (brain cells are very sensitive to the temperature regime of the body).
3. Gastroenteric overheating - dyspeptic symptoms (attacks of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea).
4. The cerebral form is accompanied by neuropsychic disorders (convulsions, dizziness, fainting and confusion).

Symptoms

It is not difficult to understand that overheating has occurred for any reason, you need to carefully monitor the condition of a person. The main symptoms of heat stroke in children are as follows:

1. The skin is very hot to the touch.
2. The body temperature rises, but there is no sweating.
3. There are complaints of headache, dizziness.
4. In most cases, the skin becomes red, and in severe cases, the skin becomes very pale.
5. There is nausea, vomiting.
6. Overheating of the child leads to lethargy, absent-mindedness, weakness.
7. Symptoms of dehydration are rapid breathing and pulse.
8. The little victim is naughty, shows aggression, irritability.
9. Loss of consciousness is also one of the obvious manifestations of overheating.

Symptoms of overheating in a newborn baby

For a newborn, overheating is a particularly serious problem. An increase in temperature, loss of fluid and nutrients pose a serious danger to the health and life of the baby. It is not difficult to recognize the symptoms of heat transfer disorders in infants; at the age of up to a year, there is no pronounced clinical picture. The main signs of overheating in newborns are the following factors:

• severe reddening of the skin on the face, which can be replaced by pallor;
• a significant increase in temperature to 38-40 degrees;
• overheating in infants causes capriciousness, lethargy, anxiety;
• cold sweat, belching and frequent yawning appear;
• the stool becomes liquid;
• sometimes there are muscle cramps in the limbs and on the face.

signs

Heatstroke in a child - the characteristic symptoms and treatment of pathology require a serious attitude to the problem. To avoid complications and deterioration of the well-being of a small victim, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with the signs of overheating of the body in advance. They are divided into three groups. Early signs of a violation of normal thermoregulation:

• dryness in the mouth;
• feeling of thirst;
• sticky saliva;
• weakened urination, yellowish discharge from the urethra.

Hyperthermia of moderate degree has the following symptoms:

• thirst and dry mouth;
• irritability, anxiety;
• cardiopalmus;
• muscle cramps;
• tearing;
• headache, dizziness;
• "cold" in the legs, hands;
• appearance of brown urine.

The last stage of the pathology is characterized by the following features:

• drowsiness;
• hot, dry skin;
• rapid breathing;
• severe weakness, no ability to move independently;
• urination is absent;
• there are bouts of anger, irritation;
• weak pulse;
• loss of consciousness.

Features of hyperthermia in children

Hyperthermia in childhood has some features. Here is some of them:

1. In most cases, a small victim develops a fever, although the temperature in this condition can be different. For example, heat stroke + bacterial infection in a child's body provokes an increase in body temperature to 41 degrees or more.
2. The presence of fever is considered a favorable phenomenon, and the development of hyperthermic syndrome is considered negative (the syndrome causes a fever of more than 41.7 degrees). This temperature leads to dehydration and other serious disorders in the body.
3. In children from six months to 6 years with hyperthermia, the temperature rarely rises above 35.5 degrees, but if bacteria “wake up” in the body, then it can rise to 40 degrees.
4. In young patients with CNS pathologies, with severe overheating and respiratory diseases, symptoms appear associated with the insufficient effectiveness of antipyretic drugs.

Doctors distinguish several patterns of fever in case of heat stroke:

• the risk of muscle spasms increases as the temperature rises;
• 4% of children with overheating suffer from muscle cramps;
• the formation of paralysis is often characteristic of children with congenital pathologies of the development of bones and joints, calcium deficiency in the body;
• against the background of high temperature, an exacerbation of internal inflammatory diseases (otitis media, sinusitis, tonsillitis, etc.) may occur.

Causes of heat stroke

In order to prevent violations of heat transfer and protect your heir from danger, you need to know what factors contribute to its occurrence. The main causes of overheating are:

1. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight.
2. The air temperature is over 30 degrees.
3. Insufficient fluid intake (baby drinks too little).
4. Increased physical activity during hot weather.
5. Increased air humidity.
6. The child is dressed too warmly or wears clothes made of synthetic materials that do not allow the skin to breathe.
7. Heat stroke is more common in children with fair skin and hair, and in overweight babies (an excess of subcutaneous fat prevents the release of heat).
8. Another reason for overheating is taking antihistamine medications. If they treat the victim at the time of hyperthermia, then there will be inhibition of normal heat transfer.
9. Pathologies of the central nervous system and physiological underdevelopment of the thermoregulation system in newborns.

Effects

After heat stroke is diagnosed, first aid should be provided immediately before the arrival of doctors. In such a situation, every minute is important, otherwise overheating can lead to very unpleasant and life-threatening consequences. Complications after violation of thermoregulation:

• acute respiratory failure;
• thickening of the blood;
• damage to the central nervous system;
• kidney failure;

What to do about heat stroke in children

When a child overheats, it is very important to provide first aid immediately. If the victim has a slight overheating of the body, then timely measures will help to quickly return to normal. It is better to call an ambulance, whose workers will be able to provide qualified medical care to the baby. Before the arrival of a team of specialists, the victim needs to be helped independently (as described below).

If necessary, doctors will treat the patient according to the symptoms. When the victim began to have muscle cramps, then special anticonvulsant measures are performed. When blood pressure drops, measures are taken to restore and stabilize it. To restore normal cardiac activity, a water-salt solution is poured intravenously, injections of cordiamine are made. In a severe form of heat stroke, it is customary to treat a patient in a hospital. Emergency hospitalization, resuscitation measures are expected.

First aid

Until the ambulance arrives, the child needs to urgently receive first aid. It is required to carry out recovery procedures that will help cool the body:

1. It is necessary to remove the victim from exposure to a heat source and direct sunlight. The baby should be placed in a cool, well-ventilated area or at least in the shade.
2. It is required to completely undress and lay the victim, slightly raising his head.
3. In case of heatstroke, the child should be covered with a cool, damp sheet or a thin towel. You can also wipe the body with a wet cloth.
4. You need to give the baby cool water to drink. It is advisable to mix the liquid with soda and salt (0.5 water + ½ teaspoon of salt and soda). Some parents give ready-made saline solutions that are sold in pharmacies. It is better to give fluid often, but in small portions, otherwise you can induce vomiting.
5. A cold compress should be placed under the back of the head and on the forehead.
6. If possible, the victim is placed in a bathtub filled with water at a temperature of + 18-20 degrees.
7. If there is a loss of consciousness, then they give a sniff of ammonia.

Antipyretic drugs

The internal temperature during heat stroke should be tried to bring down before the arrival of the ambulance. When the indicators exceed 38.5 degrees (in a child under 12 months - more than 38 degrees), treatment with antipyretics is recommended:

1. Paracetamol (analogues - Calpol, Panadol, Tylenol, Efferalgan, Dofalgan, Dolomol). A single dose of the drug, as a rule, can reduce body temperature by 1-1.5 degrees. The action of the drug often lasts a maximum of 4 hours, if the fever is very strong, then no more than 2 hours.
2. Viburkol is a homeopathic medicine, it contains only natural ingredients. The medicine is sold in the form of rectal suppositories, which is convenient for use in young children. The dosage is prescribed by the doctor.
3. Ibuprofen tablets (analogues - Nurofen, Ibufen).
4. It is forbidden to give children Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), Antipyrine, Analgin, Amidopyrine and medicines based on them to eliminate fever.

Prevention

In order not to provoke heat stroke, you must adhere to certain rules. Here are some tips to help keep your child safe from overheating:

1. Children are better off in spacious, cool rooms (room temperature is not more than 21-24 degrees). To get such a favorable atmosphere, you can simply open the windows or turn on the fan, air conditioning.
2. If the weather is hot outside, then you need to dress the baby so that he does not overheat. It is advisable to buy light clothes, things made from natural light fabrics that are breathable.
3. Doctors advise not to overfeed children in the heat, not to give fatty, high-calorie foods. It is better to feed in small portions, but often.
4. Children should get enough fluids. Cool drinking gives a chance to maintain a normal water-salt balance in the body. You can drink tea, mineral water without gas, compote, natural bread kvass.
5. Parents must supervise the child. It is worth limiting walks and physical activity in the heat. If it is necessary to go outside, then the child must be sure to wear a hat and try to move around areas with a shadow.
6. Rules of conduct on the beach: you can not visit places for swimming from 11 to 16 hours of the day (the greatest solar activity), it is forbidden to fall asleep under the sun, often alternate swimming and relaxing on the sand.

Video

In the hot and sunny season, cases of heat stroke in children become more frequent. How is the treatment carried out? What are the signs? And what does the famous pediatrician Yevgeny Komarovsky say about this?

About heatstroke

Heatstroke is a consequence of a violation of the body's thermoregulation. Overheating occurs as a result of the absorption of a large amount of heat from the outside. Since the human body is constantly warming itself due to its own vital processes, it is enough to spend quite a bit of time in a hot room or under the scorching sun to get a heat stroke.

Heatstroke in a child can occur as a result of:

• being outdoors on a sunny day;
• being in an unventilated room with high air temperature;
• excessive wrapping of the baby or dressing him in a lot of clothes.

To prevent this, you should adhere to elementary preventive measures.

Sunstroke is a type of heat stroke that occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to the scorching sun.

Kinds

Among children, heat stroke is classified as follows:

1. Hyperthermia (fever or temperature up to 41 degrees, which lasts for several days).
2. asphyxic form. The child's breathing is disturbed, and the inhibition of the functions of the central nervous system begins.
3. gastroenteric form. The child has vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea.
4. Cerebral overheating. The patient begins convulsions, dizziness, fainting and confusion.

In any of the cases of heat stroke, a visit to the doctor is mandatory!

The reasons

Heatstroke or sunstroke occurs in most cases due to overheating of the body. In order to prevent such a situation, the famous doctor Komarovsky advises to follow two simple rules:

• always carry liquid to quench the child's thirst;
• choose clothes for the child from breathable fabrics that allow sweat to pass through and do not fit snugly against the skin.

The main cooling ability of the body is sweating. Under normal conditions, sweat evaporates from the baby's skin surface, lowering its temperature. But there are conditions under which this process is impossible.

1. The air temperature exceeds the body temperature or above 30 degrees, then it continues to hold a certain mark or grow upwards.
2. High air humidity.
3. Synthetic materials from which clothes and shoes are made.
4. Prolonged exposure to the scorching sun.
5. Playing sports or other physical activities in hot or sunny weather.
6. Overweight.
7. Clothes not for the weather.
8. Light-colored skin of a child.
9. Diseases of the central nervous system.
10. Violations of the body's thermoregulation.

Light clothing, a hat and air conditioning in hot weather will help to avoid cases of heat or sunstroke in a child.

Heat stroke symptoms

Symptoms of heat stroke in a child are similar to those in adults, but they are much more intense and can reach a critical state much faster. Overheating is accompanied by dehydration and intoxication, dangerous for the life and health of babies. Therefore, if you find symptoms characteristic of this problem, you should immediately seek help from a doctor. Signs of heat stroke in children in each case may be different.

At the baby

Thermoregulation in the body of young children up to a year is not fully formed. Therefore, such babies are more likely than others to suffer from heat and sunstroke. You can identify it by the following symptoms:

• loud crying baby
• redness of the skin (especially on the face), which can quickly change to pallor;
• liquid stool;
• hyperthermia of the body (up to 38-40 degrees);
• the appearance of sweat on the back;
• frequent yawning;
• dehydration, manifested by red whites of the eyes, dry armpits and lips;
• lack of appetite;
• muscle cramps in the limbs and face;
• capriciousness;
• weakness;
• drowsiness.

Dehydration in infants occurs very quickly. Therefore, delaying the visit to the doctor in case of symptoms is dangerous for the life of the baby.

In children from one year

In children at this age, overheating can occur as a result of active games, excessive clothing or poor ventilation of the room. Recognizing heat stroke in this case is not difficult. The baby has the following symptoms:

• headache;
• dizziness;
• thirst;
• body hyperthermia;
• fainting;
• lack of sweating;
• dry lips;
• reddened areas of the skin or pallor with a severe form of stroke;
• nausea and vomiting;
• irritability, capriciousness, aggression;
• general malaise and weakness.

If the child has a mild degree of overheating, then he can continue to actively spend time. Such behavior can provoke a sharp deterioration in the condition of the baby and exacerbation of symptoms.

Signs of overheating

It is possible to prevent the development of complications and the deterioration of the child's condition by knowing the signs of overheating of the body. They are divided into three groups. The first (early) include:

• dry mouth;
• thirst;
• viscous saliva;
• pupil dilation;
• rare urination or yellowish discharge from the cervical canal.

The second (middle) degree is characterized by the following features:

• thirst;
• dry mouth;
• capriciousness and irritability;
• rapid heart rate;
• redness of the skin;
• muscle cramps;
• an increase in temperature up to 40 degrees, which lasts a long time;
• tearing of the eyes;
• dizziness or headache;
• chills in the legs;
• brown discharge from the cervical canal.

The third (last) degree of overheating is characterized by the following features:

• drowsiness and lethargy;
• dry and hot skin;
• shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
• lack of urination;
• frequent intermittent breathing;
• irritability, capriciousness, aggressiveness;
• rare pulse;
• loss of consciousness.

How long does a child's fever last with heatstroke? On average, hyperthermia of the body is observed no longer than 3 days.

Features of overheating in children

Heat and sunstroke in children is always accompanied by fever. If it is a fever, then such drops will not greatly affect the body's water balance. What can not be said about hyperthermia, in which dehydration almost always begins.

If a child with CNS pathologies has encountered a heat stroke, then often antipyretic drugs do not work on him.

Doctors have identified the following patterns in the behavior of the body during overheating:

• muscle pain increases with the rise in temperature;
• seizures occur in 4% of babies;
• for children with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, heat stroke is dangerous with the formation of paralysis;
• internal inflammatory diseases at elevated temperatures become acute.

Heat and sunstroke are especially dangerous for newborns. Moms often equate crying babies with stomach problems or teething, ignoring the possible signs of a serious problem.

First aid for heat stroke

The most correct solution in case of sunstroke is to call emergency medical services. In no case should you be afraid to call the doctors, because these actions can save the baby's life. Prior to the arrival of doctors, you should:

1. Ventilate the room or move the child to a room with good ventilation and acceptable air temperature.
2. Lay the victim on a horizontal surface.
3. Put a roller of any fabric under your feet, lifting them up.
4. In case of vomiting, put the baby on its side, freeing the airways.
5. Remove warm or synthetic clothing.
6. Give the baby mineral or plain water. Drink it should not be in one gulp, but in small sips.
7. Moisten a cloth and apply it to the back of the head and neck of the child. Keep track of how much it is on these areas of the skin, and replace it every 8-10 minutes. If necessary, you can wipe the body of the baby with a wet cloth or gradually pour water over it at room temperature. Taking cold baths in this state is contraindicated. A newborn baby can be wrapped entirely in a wet towel.
8. Apply a cold compress or apply a bottle or bag from the refrigerator to the victim's forehead.
9. Blow the child with a fan or newspaper.
10. To return the child to his senses, you can bring a cotton swab with a solution of ammonia to the nose.
11. If breathing stops, the child should be given artificial respiration immediately.

If emergency doctors insist on hospitalization, then you should not refuse it. Such a decision can affect not only how long the child will stay in this condition, but also the appearance of a number of complications.

Treatment

The treatment of heat stroke in a young child is carried out in two stages: first aid and inpatient stay. Immediately after a problem is discovered, adults should call an ambulance and proceed with primary actions.

The main task in this case is to lower the body temperature. What to do with heat stroke in a child?

The infant is first completely undressed, and then:

• wipe the body with water, the temperature of which should not be lower than 20 degrees;
• wrapped in a wet diaper / towel;
• After some time, the baby is placed in water at room temperature.

To carry out all the above actions, the child must be transferred to a well-ventilated room or shade (if the incident occurred on the street).

Every half an hour, an infant should drink at least 50 ml of liquid. If the fever is accompanied by vomiting, then the amount of water or breast milk consumed should be increased.

Komarovsky notes that the permissible air temperature in the room should be within 18-20 degrees.

If during a heat or sunstroke the baby stops breathing, then adults should immediately give the child artificial respiration with chest compressions (5 chest compressions after inhalation).

The duration of treatment for the baby depends on how long the heat stroke lasts in the child.

Medicines

If the condition of the child after heat stroke is severe, then he is sent to the hospital. In the hospital, the patient is treated with medication according to the following scheme:

1. First, antipyretics (Paracetamol, Panadol, Dolomol, etc.) and anti-shock drugs are used.
2. Then drugs are administered intravenously to normalize the electrolyte balance of the body.
3. To improve hemodynamics, the child may be prescribed hormonal agents.
4. In rare and extreme cases, the child is given anticonvulsants or has a tracheal intubation.

This drug regimen is suitable for symptoms of heat stroke in a child under 3 years of age. If he is older than this age, then drug therapy includes:

• Droperidol and Aminazin intravenously;
• saline solution to prevent dehydration;
• cardiotonic to normalize cardiac activity;
• hormonal drugs;
• Diazepam and Seduxen (anticonvulsants) are used in extreme cases.

Self-treatment with medicines is unacceptable. This should be done only under the supervision of specialists.

Consequences of heat stroke

If the temperature during heatstroke in a child does not go astray, and the emergency call is ignored, then the baby may experience complications. Among them:

1. Thickening of the blood as a result of dehydration of the body, which is fraught with thrombosis, heart failure or heart attack.
2. Renal failure.
3. Respiratory failure.
4. Disorders of the central nervous system, characterized by vomiting, fainting, deterioration in hearing, speech and vision.
5. Shock. This phenomenon occurs as a result of dehydration and poses a serious danger to the life of the child. In a state of shock, the blood supply to the internal organs is completely disrupted.

To prevent such serious consequences, it is necessary to consult a doctor at the first symptoms of heat stroke.

Prevention of heat stroke

No parent wants to face the problem of heat or sunstroke in their child. Therefore, it is very important to remember the basic rules to prevent this situation. The well-known pediatrician Komarovsky advises to comply with the following requirements:

1. The temperature in the ventilated room should not exceed 22 degrees. To achieve the desired microclimate, you should use a fan, air conditioning or just open windows.
2. The child should be dressed according to the weather in light-colored clothes made from natural fabrics.
3. In hot weather, do not feed your child fatty and heavy foods. It is better to eat in small portions, but often.
4. You should always have a cool drink with you, which can be given to the child in case of thirst.
5. Limit your child's physical activity in hot weather.
6. Choose shady places for walks on the street.
7. Do not visit open sunny areas between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m.
8. In the case of being near water, you should alternate between bathing and being on the ground.
9. Protect your baby's head with a light-coloured panama or hat with a brim on a sunny day.

It should also be remembered that children should never sunbathe. Therefore, laying them next to you under the scorching sun is strictly prohibited. This could turn into a sunstroke very soon.

Heatstroke is a serious problem that can lead to dangerous complications or even death. Therefore, at the first symptoms of overheating, it is important to know what to do and where to go.

Heat stroke is considered to be a pathological condition of the body, accompanied by a violation of all thermoregulatory processes as a result of prolonged thermal exposure. In simple terms, this is such a painful condition in which the body receives an excess of heat. The production of additional thermal energy occurs in the body itself, and the heat transfer mechanism is disturbed.

Overheating can be earned in the open air, being under the scorching sun for a long time, or in a room where heating devices work at full capacity. This can also happen in cold weather. For example, parents wrapped the child too warmly, recovering with him for a walk. Young children are most often exposed to the negative effects of high temperatures. What signs can be used to determine that a child is developing heat stroke, and what first aid measures should be provided to him?

What causes heat stroke in children?

Heat stroke usually does not occur out of nowhere. Its main reason- this is a general overheating of the body due to prolonged exposure to high ambient temperatures. In childhood, the thermoregulation system is at the stage of formation, therefore, for parents, a heat stroke that occurred in a child at a low air temperature becomes a complete surprise. Overheating causes a malfunction in the part of the brain responsible for thermoregulation. The body begins to actively produce heat, but is not able to give it away. In the body, the skin is mainly responsible for heat transfer, from the surface of which sweat is produced. After its evaporation, the human body is cooled to the optimum temperature.

So, main reasons, through which there is a difficulty in heat transfer and cooling of the body:

A child in a stuffy car at risk of heat stroke. If the car is stuck in a traffic jam in the heat, then the temperature inside the cabin can rise to 50 degrees in a short time.

The severity of the signs and symptoms of overheating in a baby determines not only the ambient temperature, but also the general condition of the body, the presence of chronic diseases, the length of stay in conditions of poor heat transfer.

Mild heat stroke is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• The head starts to hurt and spin.
• There is nausea and vomiting.
• The nature of breathing changes.
• The pulse quickens.

Moderate severity is characterized by an increase in all of the above symptoms. Vomiting and nausea does not stop. There is a rise in body temperature up to 40 degrees. A visual examination of the victim shows reddened areas of the skin. Decreased physical activity. The child may faint.

With a severe form of heat stroke, the symptoms expand, namely:

The rise in temperature to critical values ​​threatens with serious consequences. Overheating of a fragile child's body is fraught with serious complications:

• Blockage of blood vessels, which leads to the formation of blood clots.
• Organic lesions of the brain due to its edema.
• Violation of the vital systems of the body.
• A state of shock caused by a sudden circulatory failure.

First aid to the victim

Waiting for the ambulance to arrive certain measures need to be taken that alleviate the condition of the victim:

This assistance will have a tangible effect. in case of mild heat stroke, but more complex situations require additional measures:

Medical treatment for heat stroke

After assessing the patient's condition, the doctor decides on further treatment tactics, the advisability of placing the patient in a hospital. For the treatment of heat stroke, doctors use:

• Droperidol injection in combination with Analgin. The medicine is administered to children older than two years. The dosage is selected individually.
• Intravenous administration of an electrolyte solution to avoid dehydration.
• Anticonvulsants (Sibazon, Carbamazepine).
• Hormonal drugs to restore hemodynamics.
• Cardiotonic drugs, cardiac glycosides (Digoxin, Adonizide). Support the work of the cardiovascular system.
• Tracheal intubation. Used in particularly difficult cases.

Practical tips to help protect your child from heatstroke

Parents should not forget how important preventive measures for heat disorder are, because children are at risk. Heatstroke can overtake a child, even if he was in the sun for a very short time or in an unventilated, stuffy room.