cold related injuries

Question 1

what is hypothermia

Answer 1

hypothermia is when the body’s ability to warm itself fails and body temperature drops too low. The temperature does not have to be zero degrees for hypothermia. Alcohol, Illness like diabetes or cardio disease can interfere with the body’s normal response to heat.

Question 2

signs of hypothermia include

Answer 2

• shivering
• numbness
• glassy stare
• indifference and loss of consciousness
• Person might seem as if drunk (change in speech, loss of body control)

Question 3

caring of hypothermic person

Answer 3

1. Gently move the person to a worm place
2. Check ABCs and care for life-threatning injuries.
3. Remove wet clothing and cover the person with blanket and plastic sheeting to hold in body heat.
4. Carefully monitor use of heating pads and hot water bottles so that the person is not unintentionally burned
5. warm the person slowly and handle the person (warm drinks can be given to person but no alcohol or coffee)
6. Body temperature should only increase by a couple degrees per hour
7. (Shivering that stops without rewarming is a sign of deterioration and the need for EMS.)

Question 4

Caring for severe hypothermia

Answer 4

the person may be unconscious, breathing may have stopped or slowed-pulse slow or irregular

Call EMS

Check for signs of life for 30-45 seconds

Give CPR

Keep warming the body and CPR until EMS arrives.

Question 5

Frostbite

Answer 5

It is another cold -related injuring, it occurs when tissue freezes. This happens when the person is exposed to the freezing point below skin. Frost bites can cause the loss of fingers, hands, arms, toes, feet and legs.

Question 6

Symptoms of frostbites include

Answer 6

Lack of feeling in area

skin appears waxy

skin cold when touched

skin discolored

Question 7

People most likely to get frostbite include

Answer 7

people who spend time outdoors; the homeless, hikers, hunters,

under influence of alochol

elderly without adequeate heating, food, and shelter

who are exhausted or excessively dehydrated.

Question 8

How to care for frostbite victim

Answer 8

Remove wet clothing and jewellry from the affected area.

Soak the frostbite area in very warm water or comfortable to your touch till frostbite area turns back to normal color

cover with dry sterile dressing. Do not rub the area because you will damage the tissue.

Check ABCs and care for shock

Do not rewarm a frostbitten area if there is danger of refreezing or EMS is close by.