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© Copyright 2007, Mountain Kids Magazine, LLC

Gunnison and Crested Butte Colorado
Family Activity Guide -- Summer 2006
Feature: High Altitude Health Hints for Children

By Dr. Roger Sherman

The mountain environment is truly one of the greatest playgrounds for children. With opportunities for mountain as well as river and lake access, children can explore a wide variety of unique and fun activities. Though the high country is generally a safe and benign environment, there are a few medical concerns that you should be aware of to make your stay as injury free as possible.

Sun

The sun in the high country is INTENSE!!! Use sunscreen. Also, protect your children's eyes. It can be difficult to keep sunglasses on your children, but it's important to do so. The high country sun can easily cause burning of the sensitive outer layer of the eye. This can happen quickly if you are up in a snow area. If you think fighting with your kids to keep their glasses on is hard, wait until you have to deal with three days of the feeling of "sand in their eyes" that results from sun exposure.

Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS)

Crested Butte is at an elevation of 9,000 feet and most of our activities take place between 9,000 and 14,000 feet. This high elevation can cause occasional symptoms in even young children. The most common symptoms of AMS are headache and fatigue, which can be accompanied by nausea. For most children, as well as adults, a day or two of rest and hydration is all that is needed to adjust to the altitude. However, occasionally the symptoms can progress to include cough, shortness of breath, severe headache, vomiting and other symptoms.

It can be difficult to tell the difference between High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE), or High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), and symptoms of routine infections like Bronchitis or Stomach Flu. If these symptoms occur, it's important to be seen by a physician to make sure that the more serious presentations of altitude sickness are not developing.

Dehydration and Over-hydration

Most of us have been well educated about the need for fluids during summer activities. This is especially important in the dry high climate of the Rocky Mountain West. Dehydration can often occur gradually, even without intense exercise. Encourage the members of your group to drink fluids frequently.

What many may not have heard about are some of the dangers of either over-hydration or electrolyte loss. As the body perspires, a certain amount of salts (usually sodium) can also be lost in the sweat. Symptoms of excessive sodium loss can include cramping, headache, confusion and other more serious presentations. It's important that as you replace fluids, you include electrolyte replacement solutions (drinks that have salts in them) rather than only free water (plain water without salts). Some examples of electrolyte replacement drinks include Gatorade, Pedialyte, Recharge and many other commercial brands.

Remember, Keep drinking! Dehydration is a much more common problem than over-hydration. Still, remember to include electrolytes in at least some of your drinks.

Toxic Plants

We are fortunate in Crested Butte that we have very few plants that cause skin reactions. Except for the lower portion of the Black Canyon, there are no Rhus family plants, (Poison Ivy, Oak or Sumac) in the high country. Our most common toxic plant is Nettles. This mid-summer blooming plant can cause a stinging sensation and a mild to moderate skin reaction. This usually resolves within a short period of time and does not progress to the more serious reactions seen with contact of the Rhus family.

There are several plants that if ingested (eaten) can be poisonous. These include Larkspur and Monks Hood. The best plan is to avoid eating any wild plants unless you are very familiar with them.

Fauna

Snakes! Don't worry about them. The area around Crested Butte does not have any poisonous snakes, although there are some non poisonous snakes. In general, rattlesnakes do not live above 7,000 feet. (Remember, Crested Butte is 9,000 feet.). You won't find any in the mountains, but be cautious if you drop down towards the Lower Black Canyon and Montrose.

Other wild animals found around Crested Butte are usually not dangerous. However, any large animal if disturbed or frightened can be dangerous, so avoid startling or confronting them. Remember, even a protective mother cow can be trouble if she feels threatened.

We have not had any human-mountain lion incidents in Crested Butte. However, mountain lions have been seen in the area, so keep young children in visual contact when in remote regions.

Hypothermia

Remember, most cases of Hypothermia occur in temperature ranges of 40-55 degrees, and children, with their lower body mass, can lose heat fast, especially when wet. These are not uncommon temperatures during summer in the high country and mountain weather can change fast. (During a storm, a temperature drop of 30 degrees or more can occur.)

Be sure to have appropriate clothes to respond to weather and temperature changes. A simple day hike can turn into a serious situation if you aren't ready for it. If you are prepared, it can be a pleasant adventure for the kids, waiting out the storm for the rainbow on the other side.

Dr. Roger Sherman is Board Certified in Family, Emergency and Sports medicine. His practice is at the Crested Butte Medical Center, located in the Ore Bucket Building in Crested Butte. If you have questions you can call him at 970-349-0321.