20/06/2025
Symptoms 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.
Things you can do to cool someone down
If someone has heat exhaustion, follow these 4 steps:
Move them to a cool place.
Remove all unnecessary clothing like a jacket or socks.
Get them to drink a sports or rehydration drink, or cool water.
Cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them. Cold packs, wrapped in a cloth and put under the armpits or on the neck are good too.
Stay with them until they're better.
They should start to cool down and feel better within 30 minutes.
