Heat exhaustion and heatstroke

Heat exhaustion does not usually need emergency medical help if you can cool down within 30 minutes. If it turns into heatstroke, it needs to be treated as an emergency.

Check for signs of heat exhaustion

The signs of heat exhaustion include:

• tiredness
• dizziness
• headache
• feeling sick or being sick
• excessive sweating and skin becoming pale and clammy or getting a heat rash, but a change in skin colour can be harder to see on brown and black skin
• cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
• fast breathing or heartbeat
• a high temperature
• being very thirsty
• weakness

The symptoms of heat exhaustion are often the same in adults and children, although children may become irritable too.

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion they need to be cooled down and given fluids.