Doctors urge heat safety ahead of Labor Day weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WNKY) – With a heat wave expected to continue through Labor Day weekend, doctors with Norton Healthcare and Norton Children’s are urging people to take precautions to avoid heat-related illness.

Doctors say infants, young children and older adults are particularly vulnerable because they do not regulate body temperature as well as others.

For children taking part in sports or other strenuous outdoor activities, doctors recommend frequent breaks and plenty of fluids. Parents are encouraged to pack more water than they think their children will need.

“Sometimes kids aren’t the best at staying hydrated outside, doing strenuous activity,” said Dr. Virginia Menche, a pediatrician with Norton Children’s. “And then you add on that on top of these extreme temperatures and it kind of creates this perfect storm that makes them susceptible to extreme heat exhaustion and potentially heat stroke.”

Doctors also recommend staying out of the heat during the hottest part of the day, roughly between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., when possible.

People spending time at pools or lakes should continue drinking water even while in the water. Parents should also closely supervise children around bodies of water and make sure they are wearing life jackets when appropriate.

Alcohol can add another risk during hot-weather activities because it can impair judgment and contribute to fluid loss, doctors said.

Dr. Stephanie McGee, a primary care physician with Norton Healthcare, said heat exhaustion can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness and muscle cramps. People experiencing those symptoms should move to a shaded or cooler area and drink water.

More serious symptoms, including loss of consciousness, altered mental status or a seizure, can signal heat stroke. Doctors say the person’s temperature should be lowered as quickly as possible and 911 should be called immediately.