- The person is confused, very sleepy, mumbling, clumsy, or hard to wake
- Shivering has stopped even though they are still cold
- Breathing or heartbeat is slow or weak, or the person isn’t responding (start CPR if they aren’t breathing normally)
- A baby has cold, bright red skin and very low energy
Hypothermia
Hypothermia happens when the body loses heat faster than it can make it. Early signs include shivering, tiredness, confusion, fumbling hands, slurred speech, memory loss, and drowsiness.
- Call 911 for any of the signs in the red box above.
- Get out of the cold. Move inside or to a sheltered spot. If you can’t, put something between the person and the cold ground, and cover their head and neck.
- Remove wet clothing gently and replace it with dry layers.
- Warm the body slowly. Wrap the person in blankets, sleeping bags, or coats. Warm the center of the body (chest, neck, head, groin) first. Warm packs can help — wrap them in a towel so they don’t burn the skin.
- Give warm, sweet drinks (not alcohol or caffeine) only if the person is fully awake and can swallow.
- Handle them gently. Rough movement can cause dangerous heart rhythms in someone who is very cold.
Avoid: Don’t rub or massage the arms and legs. Don’t use hot water, heating pads, or heat lamps directly on the skin. Don’t put a person with severe hypothermia in a warm bath or shower.
Frostbite
Frostbite is frozen skin and tissue, most often on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks, and chin. The skin may feel numb and look white, grayish-yellow, or waxy, and feel unusually firm.
- Get out of the cold. If the person also has hypothermia, treat that first.
- Remove rings and tight items from the area.
- Don’t thaw it if it might freeze again. Refreezing causes more damage. Wait until you are somewhere you can keep it warm.
- Rewarm in warm (not hot) water, about 99°F to 104°F (37°C to 40°C) — warm to the touch of an unhurt hand. Soak for about 15 to 30 minutes. For the face or ears, use warm, wet cloths.
- Expect pain as the skin warms. An over-the-counter pain reliever can help. Follow the package directions.
- Loosely wrap the area in clean, dry gauze, with gauze between fingers or toes. Then get medical care.
Avoid: Don’t rub frostbitten skin or rub it with snow. Don’t use a fire, heating pad, or stove to warm it — numb skin burns easily. Don’t walk on frostbitten feet if you can avoid it. Don’t pop blisters.
Prevention
- Dress in loose layers, with a hat, gloves or mittens, warm socks, and a waterproof outer layer.
- Stay dry. Change out of wet clothes right away.
- Check on older adults, babies, and people who live alone during cold snaps.
- Skin is numb, hard, waxy, white, gray, or blistered after being in the cold (frostbite)
- Feeling doesn’t come back, or skin turns dark or black after warming