We have learned in the previous week how neurological impairment affected babies after they experienced heat stroke, and this week we will focus on how
functional and organ impairment can affect them. Because of many complications that occur to the body after heat stroke, we will focus on four main symptoms that affect the body and will also explain how each can affect the baby or young toddler.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS): fluid from blood vessels in your lungs leak into sacs where oxygen is exchanged in your lungs, causing difficulty in breathing, usually caused by trauma, such as heat stroke. As a result, the amount of oxygen falls, and the body starves for oxygen (usually called hypoxemia). This can harm the brain, which already is due to heat stroke), and can lead to lung failure. 60% of patients after heat stroke may require mechanical ventilation, and 10% may suffer from ARDS.
Kidney failure: Due to heat stroke, Rhabdomyolysis syndrome occurs (death of muscle cells entering into the blood stream) and the kidney cannot remove the dead muscle cells from the body (main functions of kidney: remove waste and toxins from the body), which can lead to organ failure and possible death. Rhabdomyolysis syndrome symptoms can also include disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC), which is a rare and serious condition that “causes abnormal blood clotting throughout body’s blood vessels”.
Liver failure: As explained above, heat stroke may lead to Rhabdomyolysis syndrome and this also puts burden on the liver as well (the two main functions of the liver: clearing poisonous substances and removing bacteria from blood streams) which may result in liver failure.
Cardiovascular and circulatory problems: Because the heart is hard at work pumping
blood throughout the body and its organs in conjunction with over-reactive blood clotting due to DIC (explained above), especially to the skin to cool the hot temperature, the heart and circulatory system is susceptible to fail after it is unable to do so due to working overtime. This can lead to less blood flow to organs (multi-organ failure), and
the failure of the heart itself.
Because of the aforementioned dysfunctions the body is experiencing, multiple organ failures will soon follow. With the reduced about of both blood and oxygen in the body, our vital organs such as liver, kidney, and the heart are susceptible to organ failure simultaneously, hence, the body begins to shut down.
This is a very painful process in which we can easily prevent our little ones from going through. Let us be educated with knowledge, be proactive in preventing such occurrences, and continue to provide the best love and care for them!
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