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Heat stroke is a life-threatening medical emergency and requires immediate care in an emergency department. Heat stroke symptoms include a very high body temperature, lethargy, and confusion. In severe cases, the person becomes so dehydrated they stop sweating. Never try to treat heat stroke at home.

Newborns whose mother developed diabetes during pregnancy can often have hypoglycemia in the newborn period, as can babies who are born smaller than expected. There are also genetic and metabolic diseases that can cause hypoglycemia; any child who has recurrent problems with their blood sugar should be seen by a metabolic specialist.

Hyperthyroidism means that there is abnormally high amounts of thyroid in the blood stream. Hyperthyroidism can happen when the thyroid gland either makes or secretes excess thyroid hormone or when people take a higher dose of thyroid pills than they need. Although some observational studies suggest hyperthyroidism may increase the risk of infection, hyperthyroidism should not make a person immunocompromised.

Numbness of the lips and left hand would be unusual symptoms of an over active thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism). The most common causes of numbness or tingling in the lips and hands is hyperventilation or a low blood calcium level. Since hyperthyroidism increases a person’s metabolic rate and can sometimes lead to faster breathing, it’s biologically plausible to make the connection between these symptoms and hyperthyroidism.

The term dizziness is often used to describe a few different symptoms. Dizzy might mean lightheaded, feeling faint, a spinning sensation (vertigo), or “brain fog.” Dizziness is a common symptom of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). The one exception is true vertigo. Vertigo is most often caused by an inner ear problem.`

Leukocytosis refers to a white blood cell count that is above the normal range. There are several different types of white blood cells and each of the types will increase for different reasons. For example, white blood cells called neutrophils (granulocytes) typically increase when a person has a significant bacterial infection. Another type called lymphocytes might increase during a viral infection.

Oliguria is the medical term for very low urine output. In adults, it is defined as urinating less than about one-and-three-quarters cup a day. Oliguria will happen if someone becomes dehydrated because the kidneys will conserve water. But oliguria can also be a sign of acute kidney injury or kidney failure. Oliguria not rapidly resolved by drinking more fluids requires immediate medical attention to help preserve kidney function.

Blood that is low in oxygen turns blue giving the skin, lips, and nail beds a bluish-purplish hue.  This change in color is called cyanosis. Cyanosis is neither a disease nor a symptom but is typically a sign that someone has an underlying problem with their heart, lungs, blood, or poor circulation.

With sudden onset shortness of breath, take a minute to see if you can relax enough to slow down your breathing. But if you have one or more of the following symptoms, seek immediate medical care.
•    severe shortness of breath
•    difficulty talking in full sentences
•    chest pain with shortness of breath
•    swelling in the face or abdomen with shortness of breath (a possible allergic reaction).