During hot weather, the human body has a simple way to maintain itself at the right temperature: it perspires. Newborns, children and young adults sweat a lot. In the elderly, who represent a population particularly vulnerable to hot weather, this function is less effective: their body no longer perspires enough to maintain itself at the right temperature. The actions to adopt are therefore different if you are a young child, an adult or an elderly person.
Body temperature regulation and body reactions according to age
When the outside temperature is high, maintaining the body temperature at 37 ° C is made possible by the natural phenomenon of sweating. The transformation of water from sweat into water vapor is accompanied by a physical phenomenon of cooling. The volume and duration of sweating vary according to age: we are not all equal in periods of extreme heat. Two risks can therefore be associated with high heat and linked to the sweating process:
* The dehydration : a person who sweats but does not drink enough is dehydrated. This risk mainly concerns newborns, children and adults.
* Hyperthermia or “heat stroke”: a person who does not sweat enough sees their body temperature rise and can no longer maintain it at 37 ° C. It is the elderly who are most at risk.
Small or large, specific gestures to adopt
In hot weather, infants, young children and adults are affected by dehydration. To remedy this they must remain as little as possible exposed to heat and drink abundantly (excess water will be eliminated), especially water or non-alcoholic drinks.
Be careful, adults exposed to heat (athletes, outdoor workers) are particularly sensitive to the risk of dehydration. They must therefore be vigilant and imperatively apply the above advice.
The elderly constitute a population particularly at risk. It is therefore very important for them to protect themselves as much as possible from the heat, by spending several hours a day in a cool or air-conditioned place and by wetting their body regularly to lower their body temperature. They can for example apply wet cloths or glove (s) on the face, arms, neck; spray water on their face … It is also important that these people drink enough (about 1.5 L of water, which is about the amount of water they are able to eliminate). In addition, in times of heat, even if the appetite may be reduced, it is important to continue to eat enough (if necessary by dividing the meals) to provide the mineral salts necessary for the body. This is because when an elderly person drinks too much water (that is, more water than the body is able to eliminate) without eating enough at the same time, the mineral salts are diluted in the body. The person is then exposed to the risk of hyponatremia (decrease in the concentration of sodium salt in the blood which can cause disturbances of consciousness, nausea, vomiting, seizures, etc.).
Source: INPES
