Heat Illness
According to the CDC, heat illness during practice or competition is the leading cause of death among U.S. high school athletes.
Summer’s high temperatures put patients at increased risk for heat illness. There are several types of heat illness ranging in severity. Although heat illness can be fatal, death is preventable if quickly recognized and properly treated. Find further resources related to heat acclimatization.
NATA Position Statements
NATA Consensus Statements
- Exertional Heat Illness, 2003
- Preseason heat-acclimatization guidelines for secondary school athletics (pdf)
Additional Position/Consensus Statements
Other Resources
- NATA Hydration & Heat Illness Handout (pdf)
- USA Today: Heat Related Illness Still Deadly Problem for Athletes
- Beat the Heat: Keeping student-athletes safe during hot summer months
- NATA’s Heat Illness Authorization Form (pdf)
- Parents’ and Coaches’ Guide to Heat Illnesses (pdf)
- Parents’ and Coaches’ Guide to Heat Illnesses: Spanish (pdf)
- ED Ted: What Happens When you Get Heat Stroke?
- OSHA Heat Illness Prevention Training, 2015
- KSI Website Education: Heat Illnesses
- NFL/GSSI: Preventing Heat Related Illnesses
- NFL/Gatorade: Gatorade Heat Safety Package
- NCAA: Heat Illness
- NATA PowerPoint: Exertional Heat Illness and Intercollegiate Athletics
- NATA Foundation: Types of Heat Illness
- NATA Foundation: Treatment of Heat Illness