A 14-year-old boy is participating in his school's track meet; the outdoor temperature is 99°F, and a teacher has found the boy sitting restless in the shade and disoriented to time. The teacher notes that the student has dry skin in spite of the high temperature and the fact that he has recently completed a running event. The teacher calls for the school nurse, who will recognize which of the following potential diagnoses and anticipated hospital treatments?
A) Heat exhaustion, likely treated with rest, shelter from the sun, and salt tablets
B) Heat stroke, likely treated with submersion in cold water
C) Heat stroke, likely treated with rehydration by intravenous hypotonic solution
D) Heat exhaustion, likely treated with oral rehydration with cool water

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Cognitive changes and lack of sweating are signs of heat stroke as opposed to heat exhaustion. A common treatment for heat stroke is immersion in cold water to rapidly decrease the core and shell temperature. Salt tablets, hypotonic IV rehydration, and oral water rehydration would not be appropriate treatments.

A 14-Year-Old Boy Is Participating in His School's Track Meet;