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This is a common condition where the body core temperature drops to a point where the body can not restore it. This is bad. It happens a lot in the winter, but also in the spring and fall when people are not properly dressed and are caught off guard by a cold chill. A few years back a group of 12 kids were near North Bay in August swimming. The two which were in the water had Hypothermia and the 10 on the beach had Heat Stroke (more on this later). This is just to show that Hypothermia can happen at any time. The symptoms are skin which is cool to the touch, the person slurs their speech as if drunk and will be confused.
The first aid treatment is obvious for this one. The person is cold, so you have to warm then up from external sources. This means warm clothes, warm room, warm fire, and even body heat.
Do not try to use something HOT such as boiling water as you will only do more damage to the body which will cause problems later. These appear to be the opposite of Hypothermia, when the body gets to be too hot. This is partially true. The beginnings of Heat Exhaustion, which will lead to heat stroke if not corrected, is dehydration. That is not drinking enough liquid. The signs of this, among others, are hot dry skin and a massive headache (I’ve had this, it isn’t pleasant). The treatment is to get the person into the shade where it is cool and give them cool liquids to drink. It is funny how these treatments always seem to be the opposite of what is happening to the person. Heat stroke is just an advanced form of heat exhaustion. The remedy is the same with one minor exception.
If the person is unable to drink themselves do not try to force them to drink or you’re
liable to drown them by pouring the water into the lungs. Wait until they have cooled down, cool wet blankets work, they try to get them to drink by themselves. |
