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First Aid & Emergencies

Call 911 NOW if you are having:

  • Chest Pain
  • Difficulty Breathing
  • Severe Bleeding
  • Sudden Weakness or Numbness
  • A Medical Emergency
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Hypothermia Treatment

Call 911

1. In children and adults, symptoms include:

  • Confusion, memory loss, or slurred speech
  • Drop in body temperature below 95º
  • Exhaustion or drowsiness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Numb hands or feet
  • Shallow breathing
  • Shivering

In infants, symptoms include:

  • Bright red, cold skin
  • Very low energy level

2. Restore Warmth Slowly

  • Get the person indoors.
  • Remove wet clothing and dry the person off, if needed.
  • Warm the person's trunk first, not hands and feet. Warming extremities first can cause shock.
  • Warm the person by wrapping him or her in blankets or putting dry clothing on the person.
  • Do not immerse the person in warm water. Rapid warming can cause heart arrhythmia.
  • If using hot water bottles or chemical hot packs, wrap them in cloth; don't apply them directly to the skin.

 

3. Begin CPR, if Necessary, While Warming Person

If the person is not breathing normally:

  • Continue CPR until the person begins breathing or emergency help arrives.

 

4. Give Warm Fluids

  • Give the person a warm drink, if conscious. Avoid caffeine or alcohol.

 

5. Keep Body Temperature Up

  • Once the body temperature begins to rise, keep the person dry and wrapped in a warm blanket. Wrap the person's head and neck as well.

 

6. Follow Up

  • At the hospital, health care providers will continue warming efforts, including intravenous fluids and warm, moist oxygen.

 

WebMD Medical Reference

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Reviewed by Varnada Karriem-Norwood, MD on September 27, 2011
© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

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