What are heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke?

Also known as: heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat-related illnesses.

Children have greater difficulty managing overexposure to heat for a variety of reasons and are therefore more vulnerable to heat-related injury. Heat cramps, exhaustion and stroke are three related conditions that represent progressively worsening symptoms that can occur during prolonged exposure to heat and humidity without adequate amounts of fluid intake. Heat cramps are the first and mildest form of heat related symptoms that can occur, followed by heat exhaustion and then heat stroke at the severe end of the spectrum.

---

Reviewed by: Jose R. Rosa-Olivares, M.D.

This page was last updated on: 1/29/2019 3:21:13 PM