Experts urge people to increase fluid intake to combat heat wave

Srinagar, June 23: Amid the heat wave in Jammu and Kashmir, health experts on Friday said the scorching heat can prove fatal and suggested people to increase intake of drinking water and fluids.
Dr Suhail Naik, Consultant Paediatrician Department of Paediatrics, Children Hospital Srinagar said the scorching heat can prove really fatal for the students if proper measures are not taken by parents and schools.
“With the mercury soaring, the schools should take appropriate measures to protect children from heat-related illness,” he said. Dr Naik said the rising temperatures can result in exhaustion, dehydration and heat strokes among children.
“Prolonged morning assemblies, afternoon outdoor sports activities should be avoided and schools should have ample safe portable drinking water units available,” he said.
The senior doctor said schools should avoid taking small kids to picnics or outings as they are susceptible to dehydration and can’t perceive their water intake demands. “Therefore, it is not wise to take them to places where they can develop heat-related issues,” he said.
The measures like availability of water should be done in school buses as most of the heat-associated trouble occurs while traveling in school buses. He said the parents should offer water to children as soon as they reach home.
Dr Masood Rashid, Anaesthesia Specialist and critical care expert J&K Health Department said heat waves can cause heat stroke, a form of heat injury and labour class are more prone to it.
“People should not sit under direct sunlight for longer hours and should restrict going outside during the daytime when the temperature is too high,” he said.
Dr Masood said that people should maintain hydration and take plenty of water and liquids. “When going outside they can use the umbrella and take precautions,” he said.
He said heat gain in the human body can be caused by a combination of external heat from the environment and internal body heat generated from metabolic processes and when temperature reaches to 40 ° C and heat injury can occur.
“Rapid rises in heat gain due to exposure to hotter than average conditions compromise the body’s ability to regulate temperature and can result in a cascade of illnesses, including heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heatstroke, and hyperthermia,” the doctor said.
Dr Masood said temperature extremes related to heat can also worsen chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes-related conditions.
“Hot temperatures increase the ozone concentration, which can damage people’s lung tissue and cause complications for asthma patients and those with lung diseases,” he said.