Activity: Understanding and Treating Altitude Sickness

What is altitude sickness? How do I detect it? What do I do to treat it? This activity is to help prepare youth, leaders, and families for high-altitude camping and hiking.

As you have preparation meetings for camping, hiking, or other outdoor activities, it’s essential to discuss the symptoms of and remedies for altitude sickness, as well as what to do in case of emergency. The following real-life example illustrates why it is so important to be informed and prepared:

“Our boys headed up to camp, and all was well until the evening, when one of our young men started complaining of headaches and vomiting. Fortunately, he had attended training for altitude sickness, and he knew what was happening. He told our youth leader about his symptoms, and the leader had the camp medic check on him. Our leader and assistant then made the decision to drive the young man home that evening. We later learned that the young man was still vomiting and suffering from headaches, but as the week progressed, he started to feel better. I’m grateful that we took the cautious approach instead of telling the youth to ‘tough it out’ at camp.”

Read and study the following resources on altitude sickness.

• High-Altitude Illness Fact Sheet
• Altitude Sickness Web Resource

During your preparation meetings, discuss the principles learned above. Talk about the symptoms of altitude sickness and how to recognize them. Consider how your group can be careful and prepared for emergencies, such as:

• Communicating via satellite phones in remote areas.
• Having extra leaders available for transport if a youth needs to be evacuated.
• Having proper medical care and supplies.
• Being aware of special health conditions of the participants.

• As a group, role-play a situation where several youth may need to be transported quickly to lower elevation. Invite “helper” youth to divide into small groups and create a way to care for or transport “sick” youth for at least 300 feet.
• Discuss the basics of first aid. Review the steps of CPR, and practice emergency scenarios such as a broken arm or leg, a head injury, or a hiker or camper who is lost or missing.

• What other situations might we need to be prepared for? Do we have the information and training for these situations?
• Do we have the proper communication capabilities to call for help?
• How can being prepared help us enjoy the experience more?

• Kenneth Baillie, A. A. Roger Thompson, and Matthew Bates, “Altitude Sickness,” Altitude Physiology Expeditions.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Travel to High Altitudes,” April 21, 2013.