Heat stroke or sun stroke, is a potentially fatal reaction to heat caused by the body’s inability to regulate its own body temperature. Its onset may be gradual or sudden with headache, weakness and nausea followed by mental confusion and high body temperature around 104-115˚F (40-60˚C). Shock, convulsions, brain damage, coma and death may follow.

Treatment is to reduce the temperature below 102˚F(39˚C) by moving the person to a cooler place, removing clothing where possible, and cooling with fan and ice packs to the head, neck, armpits and the groin.

Dehydration—the depletion of the body’s water content—is a life threatening condition. Babies and children, who need more fluid relative to their body weight than adults, can become dehydrated—and be rehydrated more easily.

The most common causes of dehydration are not drinking enough liquid, vomiting, diarrhoea, use of diuretics, overheating and fever. On an average the human body loses around 1.2 litres of water each day in urine, expired air, perspiration and from the gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms include thirst, sunken eyes (sunken fontanel in the baby), dry mouth, infrequent dark urination, lethargy and irritability. Skin pinch does not spring back as normal skin. Blood in stools, high fever, extreme weakness or requires immediate medical treatment.

Mild cases can be treated by oral rehydration fluid but severe cases require hospitalisation.

Dr. Manju Kerketta, Tribalzone, Birkera Jhariatoli, PO- Ranto Birkera, via Lathikata, Dist Sundergarh, Orissa - 770037. doctor@tribalzone.com