ST. LOUIS — Our temperatures have been unusually mild so far, but summer will strike with a vengeance this weekend.
"It's starting to get up into the high 80s, 90s and that's when we start to see people having heat related illnesses; heat stroke, heat exhaustion," Mercy South Emergency Medicine Physician Chase Gray, M.D., tells 5 On Your Side.
It's important to know the differences between heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a medical emergency.
Kids are not immune to extreme heat.
Dr. Jaime Kondis is a Washington University Pediatric Emergency Medicine Physician at St. Louis Children's Hospital.
"For kids, we really worry when the heat index is at or above 90 degrees, which we're going to be in for some temperatures like that, kids can become sick very quickly," Kondis said.
If you're inclined to tell yourself or your kids to tough it out ... don't.
"If you are getting to the point where you have altered mental status or high body temperature signs, you need to come to the emergency room," Dr. Gray tells 5 On Your Side.
It's important to stay hydrated during extreme heat ... and no alcohol does not count ... it actually dehydrates.