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How to Treat an Individual with Hypothermia

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By writer62
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When your body temperature drops below 94 degrees Fahrenheit is when hypothermia results.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Instructions
  1. Step 1

    Other symptoms of hypothermia are slurred speech, shivering, abnormally slow breathing rate, skin which is cold and pale, lost of body coordination, feeling of tiredness, lethargy, apathy or being sleepy. These symptoms gradually effect the body as the person becomes more hypothermic, and in some cases the individual may not even notice the danger signs. The elderly and the very young are more prone to hypothermia.

  2. Step 2

    First, in treating hypothermia is to get the individual out of the cold environment. If they are wet, change their clothes into warm and dry garments. If going indoors is not possible, seek some kind of shelter and get the person out of the wind. Cover the individual's head and insulate them from the ground, but it at all possible get them inside to an area which is room temperature and cover them with warm blankets.

  3. Step 3

    If you notice the individual's breathing is shallow or has stopped, perform resuscitation immediately - clear their airway, position the person on their back, tilt or lift their chin up and breathe into the person's mouth by delivering two slow and big breaths -- make sure you have pinched the individual's nose before breathing into their mouth. Check their pulse and if no pulse, give cardiac compressions. Alternate breathing and compressions until the person is breathing on their own.

  4. Step 4

    Give the individual warm liquids, but no alcohol as alcoholic drinks just give a person an false feeling of warmth.

  5. Step 5

    If necessary when treating hypothermia, use your own body heat to warm up the victim by embracing them with their chest area against you body. Place mittens and cotton or wool stocking hats on the individual suffering from hypothermia. Do not allow the victim to smoke while treating them for hypothermia. Loosen clothing and remove all jewelry when treating a hypothermic individual. You want the blood to flow in their body to be unrestricted.

  6. Step 6

    Stay in your car or truck if you get stranded in freezing weather. If you fear hypothermia setting in, try cutting up the seat covers and placing them around your body and avoid contact with metal.

  7. Step 7

    Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

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