Beating summer's heat; it's hot and getting hotter! Here's the information you need to stay safe this summer.

As the weather turns warm and the schools empty out, many families start their summer travel adventures. Where are you going this year? To a theme park? Camping? Across the country to visit relatives? Wherever you go, make sure that you take proper safety precautions.

Sure, you wear your seat belts, use sunscreen, and carry a map so you don't get lost. But are you prepared for the weather extremes and altitude changes that you might encounter?

The fact is that weather affects everyone, but heat can be particularly dangerous for the elderly, infants, and those who are overweight, sedentary, or ill. Even healthy people can make the wrong choices on a hot summer day. Each year hundreds of people die from heatstroke and thousands are hospitalized. According to researchers at the University of Delaware Center for Climatic Research, the effects of global warming could cause an increase in heatstroke victims.

Here is a guide to help you identify and treat heat-related illnesses during your travels. Clip this guide and carry it in your first-aid kit.

Heat Fatigue

Symptoms: weakness, fatigue, profuse sweating, light-headedness, confusion, shallow breathing, and rapid pulse. The skin is cool and moist to the touch.

Cause: prolonged exposure to hot and humid weather.

Treatment: rest in a cool place, and drink plenty of water.

Heat Cramps 

Symptoms: muscle spasms in the legs and abdomen, heavy sweating. The skin is cool and clammy. In extreme cases the victim may have convulsions and/or lose consciousness. Caution: symptoms sometimes don't appear until later in the day.

Cause: water and mineral loss because of prolonged activity in hot weather without replenishment.

Treatment: stop exercising, rest in a cool place, and replace water and electrolytes by sipping a sports drink such as Gatorade. Most experts discourage taking salt tablets, but some recommend mixing a solution of one teaspoon salt to one gallon water and sipping it every 15 minutes for an hour or so. Follow this remedy with plenty of fresh water. Caution: Do not drink this salt solution unless there is fresh water available.

Prevention: drink plenty of water and electrolyte solutions throughout the day, and eat fresh fruits.

Heat Exhaustion (or Heat Prostration)

Symptoms: fatigue, headache, light-headedness, lack of coordination, excessive sweating, fast heart rate, nausea, and vomiting. The skin is generally pale, cold, and clammy. The victim may also have heat cramps, tingling in the hands and feet, and then might begin hyperventilating.

Cause: excessive sweating in hot weather.

Treatment: move the victim to a cooler place; have them lie down with their feet up. Loosen their clothing. Apply cool compresses to the skin. Give them an electrolyte solution and a half glass of water every 15 minutes. The victim should rest in the shade for at least 30 minutes and curtail activity for 24 hours. Some experts suggest staying out of the heat for several days.

Heatstroke (or Sunstroke)

Symptoms: body temperature of 105[degrees]F or more; chills; lack of sweating; confusion; convulsions; nausea; weak, rapid pulse; and difficulty breathing. The skin is hot, dry, and often red. The victim may lose consciousness. This is a life-threatening illness. Heatstroke is more common among the elderly and is often mistaken for a heart attack.

Cause: heatstroke occurs when the body has become so overheated that the temperature control system fails.

Treatment: call an ambulance. This is a medical emergency. In the meantime, move the victim to a cooler place, have them lie down with their head elevated, and quickly cool the body by immersing them in cool water or wrapping them in wet sheets and fanning them. Place cold packs on the wrists and ankles and cool compresses in the armpits and on the neck to cool the large blood vessels.

Experts disagree about giving the heatstroke victim water. Some say to give small sips of water as long as they are conscious; others suggest waiting until their temperature drops and they are no longer nauseous.

Preventing Heat-related Illness

If your travels take you to a hot, humid area, limit physical activity while there. Prolonged exposure to severe heat and humidity interferes with your body's ability to cool itself down. So if you keep working, for example, and your body's cooling system can't keep up, you're at risk of suffering a heat-related illness.

* When you're visiting one of America's hot spots, whether you're hiking, bicycling, or just sightseeing, take regular breaks in the shade or inside air-conditioned buildings. Don't wait until you're drenched in sweat or feeling woozy to seek shade.

* On an extremely hot day, consider hanging out in your air-conditioned hotel room or spending the day in an air-conditioned mall or museum. Go swimming.

* When pursuing an outdoor activity, seek a shady spot. Choose an expansive grassy area with trees rather than a closed-in canyon.

* Wear loose-fitting light-colored clothing. Cotton and linen are recommended, as they absorb perspiration. Wear a hat with a wide brim. Wear shoes with thick soles to protect your feet from the burning pavement.

* Eat light. Avoid foods that are high in protein, sugar, and fat, as they tend to increase your metabolic heat. Eat pasta and fruits such as melons.

* Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Avoid drinks with caffeine o and alcohol, as they tend to dehydrate the body and reduce your tolerance to heat.

* Many prescription drugs interfere with the body's ability to endure heat. Ask your doctor about reducing the dosage of prescribed drugs if you plan a trip to one of America's hot spots.

Sunburn 

Sunburn is probably the most common summertime ailment, and sometimes it can be severe. Here are some tips for diagnosing, treating, and preventing sunburn.

Symptoms: painful red skin. In serious cases, the affected areas swell and blister. The victim may also experience chills, fever, headache, and nausea. In severe cases, delirium and kidney failure can occur.

Cause: too much exposure to the direct sun. Some medications, including antibiotics, can increase the risk of sunburn.

Treatment: for mild sunburn, rub a light cream or oil on the affected skin. In more severe cases, apply wet gauze dressings to the sunburned area and take aspirin to reduce pain. In serious cases, seek medical care.

Prevention: avoid the sun's rays between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Use sunscreen with SPF of 15 or greater anytime you're going to be outside for more than 20 minutes. It's possible to get sunburned through clothing, on foggy days, and from sun reflected off bodies of water and rocks.

Don't forget to use sunscreen on the tops of your feet when wearing sandals or going barefooted, and the tops of your ears if they're exposed.

Sun Blindness

Symptoms: burning, watery eyes; headache.

Cause: intense direct or reflected sunlight into unprotected eyes.

Treatment: bathe eyes with cold compresses and cover them with bandages or dark glasses for about 24 hours.

Prevention: avoid prolonged exposure to bright sunlight or sunlight reflected off snow or water. Wear sunglasses with UV protection.

Altitude Sickness (or Mountain Sickness)

Cause: lack of oxygen. There's less oxygen in the atmosphere in the mountains. When you breathe this thinner air, there's less oxygen going into your blood.

Symptoms: flulike symptoms such as headache, lethargy, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and sometimes swelling of the face, hands, and feet. Anyone can experience altitude sickness, and most do at heights above 8,200 feet. It can be more severe with people who have heart or lung problems. Symptoms generally become evident within 48 hours of arriving. The higher the altitude, the greater the effects.

Treatment: a doctor can prescribe a medication called acetazolamide (Diamox) to help prevent or treat altitude sickness. Note: Do not take this if you're allergic to sulfa drugs. For mild altitude sickness, rest, take aspirin in normal doses, and avoid alcohol. For a more severe case, go to a lower altitude. Take oxygen if you're having trouble breathing.

Prevention: altitude sickness is preventable. The key is taking your time to reach your mountain destination. Aware climbers typically take two days to reach 8,000 feet and another day for each 1,000 feet higher. Keep this rule of thumb in mind when you're driving to a mountain resort. You might stay overnight in Denver before driving up to the Rocky Mountain National Park, for example.

After reaching your destination in the mountains, avoid strenuous activity for the first couple of days. Drink extra nonalcoholic fluids and stay away from fatty, sugary foods.

To minimize heat-related illness and altitude sickness, make sure that everyone in your family is in peak condition before traveling. It may be that you always follow a healthy routine. But especially during the week before leaving on a trip, get enough sleep, eat sensibly, and plan ahead so that you aren't rushed. The better care you take of yourself and your family before your trip, the more easily you'll tolerate extremes in weather and altitude and the more successful your trip will be.

Patricia L. Fry is a freelance writer and the author of 11 books, including Creative Grandparenting Across the Miles and Write On! Journal-keeping for Teens.