Anyone with Heat Stroke experience?

[calicokat]

Since BYC is full of zillions of various peeps, I'm hoping somebody can give me some ideas from their experience or knowlege about Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke.

16 yr old DD had a very mild heat stroke about 2 weeks ago. We went to the ER and they gave her a bag of IV fluids. She perked back up and seemed normal. We followed Dr's orders: rest, fluids & no heat exposure for 48 hours.

She has had 2 more "heat episodes" since then, not stroke, but more likely heat exhaustion. These are happening during band practice & shows. The initial episode was likely brought on by dehydration, the second was due to high temps, and the last one because she got overheated in her uniform. We didn't go to the ER for the 2nd & 3rd episodes since they weren't nearly as bad, but repeated the remedy of at least 48 hours of rest, fluids and no heat. And she seemed to recover each time, but she has been having trouble "staying" recovered.

She won't be marching any more this season, (they are talking about letting her do something on the sidelines, but I'm not sure that's even a good idea.)

So here are questions for those of you who have been through this: is there something more we should be doing to get her body's thermostat "healed"? How long did it take for you to "get back to normal" after your experience? The information I find online talks about what to do in the immediate crisis, but not about down the road.

We have a second follow-up appt. with the family Dr. in the AM, are there questions I need to be asking? Like, should we be testing her electrolite levels or anything?

In addition to any information you want to share, I could use some prayers that this works out ok, I'm just really scared for my DD at this point. Thanks!

 

[they'reHISchickens]

DH had heat stroke about 10 years ago. He was super sensitive to heat for the next few YEARS. Heat stroke is basically overheating the brain so it goes haywire.
Personally, I would have forbid any marching for your DD in heat for the rest of the summer. One episode makes a body prone towards repeating. Think of it like a concussion- which also damages the brain. Repeated concussions make the original worse. Same as heat stroke.
So, lots and lots of fluids and KEEP COOL. Stay out of the sun, period. Use a hat. Wear a damp/wet cloth around the back of the neck to cool the blood going to the head. Use the air conditioning as needed and i sure hope you don't live in Texas!!

Kids are notorious for feeling invincible and we know she wants to be marching with the band. Sorry, dear, it's a health issue and she needs to cool it-- literally!

 

[SourRoses]

I don't know much about heatstroke in particular... besides all the times I've moaned and complained about it pretendedly lately in this yucky heat here....
However, I do remember reading something that maybe should make your dr.s list... Is that thyroid issues can cause problems with the bodys internal thermostat. So thats something I would ask him about... and add in a question about other causes of thermostat issues. Only since it sounded like your daughter was the only one of her group to suffer this multiple times? Though Hischickens point makes perfect sense as well.

Hope she stays better this time!

 

[redhen]

My hubby passed out with heat stroke last year... ever since then he cant take ANY heat.
He starts feeling dizzy and sick anytime he gets evena bit overheated now... *sigh*

 

[calicokat]

Oh this really isn't sounding so good for long term

His Chickens - you described it very well. That first incident, it was like her brain went haywire. She knew the words she wanted to say, but couldn't get them to come out of her mouth.

Squishy - I'll add it to the list, but yeah, I think His Chickens got it. Especially since she never had any trouble until after the initial episode, *sigh*

Redhen - that's what I'm afraid we're facing. From what I'm reading online it sounds like their "Thermostat" gets broken when they go through this. We don't have AC at our house, so next year could get interesting (or this year if we still spike a few hot days)

 

[dewey]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/15/health/nutrition/15best.html Please read this article (just one of many) so your child can be tested & monitored properly. There's so much that happens to the internal organs with heat stroke and it's not a quick recovery by any means. Hoping all the best for your child.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

Heat stroke that went far enough that she was muddled in her speech is a serious event and it IS NOT something people bounce back from quickly. Even ever resilient teens.

Ask her doctor to run some blood tests and check her levels of just about everything. You may want to adjust her nutrition for a bit one way or another to get her back in balance, but recovery from this could take a very long time and her body may never fully "reset".

She (and apparently the band leader) need to learn more bout proactive ways of keeping the heat at bay. There are all kinds of tricks people can use in these situations that they may not have used.

BTW, was she on or near her period? That can make her more prone and the heat stroke during can throw that off for months too.

In your mind, do treat this like a concussion. Heat stroke and two bouts of heat exhaustion in less than one month is a serious health event.

 

[hennyannie]

I had an episode in early August that I believe was heat related.
It was hard for me to even go outside for almost a month. I just could not stand the heat at all.
The ER did not give me fluids and called my episode vagal sycopy.(not sure on spelling).
I am however convince I over did the outside work that week and was dehydrated.
Praying that your DD has a full recovery very soon.

 

[3goodeggs]

I have WHAT in my yard? :

Heat stroke that went far enough that she was muddled in her speech is a serious event and it IS NOT something people bounce back from quickly. Even ever resilient teens.

Ask her doctor to run some blood tests and check her levels of just about everything. You may want to adjust her nutrition for a bit one way or another to get her back in balance, but recovery from this could take a very long time and her body may never fully "reset".

She (and apparently the band leader) need to learn more bout proactive ways of keeping the heat at bay. There are all kinds of tricks people can use in these situations that they may not have used.

BTW, was she on or near her period? That can make her more prone and the heat stroke during can throw that off for months too.

In your mind, do treat this like a concussion. Heat stroke and two bouts of heat exhaustion in less than one month is a serious health event.

Ditto. It seemed the more it happened to me, the closer the episodes got.
It sometimes would make me feel like I had a flu bug. It lasted a month before I started feeling better.

Have her thyroid tested. I was always cold, so by the time I warmed up, I was over heated. The problem was that I did not know I was hot until I was too hot.

I have been good since I started the thyroid meds.

She can still get over heated even with good thyroid. It might just be a symptom of low thyroid and should be ruled out.
I hope she feels better sooner than later.​

 

[fishin-nole]

As others have said take it very serious, for a child to go through that will have lasting effects for yrs. if not for her entire life. I've been caught by the bear more times than I can count, last time was 2 weeks ago working on my truck. I had to go in and take a shower I was so hot, got dizzy and of course the killer headache that I get as a result.