Spring and fall are the seasons of the year when people
go outdoors and are not always dressed for sudden weather
changes, making them at risk for developing hypothermia.
Hypothermia can occur when a person becomes wet through
rain/snow or perspiration and is dressed too lightly,
resulting in a core body temperature below 95 degrees.
Some signs of hypothermia are:
|
| * |
Mental confusion |
| * |
Slurred speech |
| * |
Abnormally slow rate of breathing |
| * |
Cold, pale skin |
| * |
Fatigue, lethargy or apathy |
Here are some things you can do to prevent hypothermia
or start first aid if you suspect someone you are
with is developing hypothermia. These include: |
| 1 |
Move the person out of the cold. |
| 2 |
Remove wet clothing. |
| 3 |
Place warm compresses on the neck, chest wall and groin.
(Do not attempt to warm the arms and legs since this
could force cold blood back toward the heart resulting
in a lower core body temperature and possibly triggering
a heart irregularity) |
| 4 |
Insulate
the person’s body from the cold ground. |
| 5 |
Monitor breathing. |
| 6 |
Share body heat. |
| 7 |
Provide warm beverages if the person is alert and able
to swallow. DO NOT GIVE ALCOHOL. |
| 8 |
Have the person evaluated by a doctor. |
Here are some DON’TS |
| * |
DO NOT apply direct heat.
(DO NOT use fire, hot water
bottle, heating lamp or heating pad.) |
| * |
DO NOT provide alcohol, caffeine drinks or let the
person use tobacco. |
| * |
DO NOT leave the person suffering from hypothermia
alone. (A person with hypothermia has lost the ability
to keep his body temperature within the normal range
and must have some help form an outside source such as
sharing body heat with another person and drinking warm
fluids.) |
Use the memory aid C.O.L.D. which stands
for: |
| C |
Wear CLEAN clothes. |
| O |
Avoid OVERHEATING. |
| L |
Wear clothes in LAYERS. |
| D |
Keep clothing DRY. |
