How do you treat hypothermia victim?
Treating hypothermia in adults:1. Call for help: Dial emergency services (911 or equivalent) immediately. Hypothermia can be life-threatening and requires professional medical care.
2. Handle the person gently: When moving a hypothermia victim, handle them gently to avoid further injury.
3. Remove wet clothing: If the person is wet from the cold, gently remove any wet clothing to stop further heat loss.
4. Cover the person: Use dry, warm blankets, coats, or any available covering to help insulate the person and conserve heat.
5. Warm the person's core: Use your own body heat by placing warm hands, armpits, or even warm breaths near the person's neck, armpits, chest, and groin areas to warm their central body temperature.
6. Warm fluids: If the person is conscious and able to swallow, give them warm fluids like tea, soup, or hot chocolate. Avoid giving them alcoholic drinks, as alcohol can interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature.
7. Stay close: Stay with the person and keep talking to them to help them stay alert.
8. Monitor breathing: Check the person's breathing and if it's shallow or absent, start CPR if necessary while waiting for professional help.
9. Monitor core temperature: Use a thermometer if available to periodically monitor the person's core body temperature. If it remains dangerously low, continue warming them until help arrives.
In infants and children, the approach is similar but the following specific points should be noted:
- Treat them in a warm environment.
- Use skin-to-skin contact to warm the infant against the rescuer's bare chest.
- Wrap infants in blankets with their head exposed to avoid overheating.
Hypothermia in infants is extremely dangerous and medical attention should be sought immediately.
Remember that the focus is to stabilize the person and keep them warm until professional medical help arrives. Severe hypothermia cases require advanced medical care and proper rewarming techniques to prevent complications and further harm.