English 421K, Technical Writing

Frostbite and Hypothermia

Playing outside in the winter with friends can be a fun event, but there are certain dangers that you must remember. When you are exposed to the cold temperatures of the winter your body can freeze and you could develop frostbite or hypothermia.

Frostbite is one of these dangers that you should watch out for and it involves the tissues in your body freezing! There are several symptoms that you should watch for if you begin to feel a bit too cold. Symptoms of the first degree (also known as frostnip) cause a loss of feeling and a whiter than usual appearance of fingers, toes, ear lobes and the tip of the nose. If you remain in the cold any longer it will lead to the second degree. When this occurs, the outer layer of skin will begin to blister and also feel hard or frozen. Deep frostbite, or the third degree, causes your skin to become marked up and blue as well as blister and become hard or frozen. This is a very serious matter, if you experience any of these symptoms in the cold you must get indoors as quickly as possible and seek help from an adult immediately. Frostbite is a very serious issue and should not be joked around with. If you cannot get to help right away you must remember to slowly warm the affected areas. Whatever you do don’t rub frostbitten areas because that will only make it worse, damaging your tissues even more. Instead, you should warm up by putting the affected areas next to warm skin or by placing them in warm water.

Hypothermia is also a very dangerous occurrence. It happens when your temperature drops below 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. If you begin shivering, become confused as to where you are, can’t seem to talk right, or have cold pale skin your body may be suffering from hypothermia and you should get inside quickly. If you stay out in the cold any longer, sleepiness and slowed breathing will occur. Now if you don’t get inside and seek help from an adult right away you could fall unconscious, which is extremely serious.

Frostbite and hypothermia are both very serious conditions. There are certain steps you can take to protect yourself from these. Listen to the local forecast and wear extra warm clothing to reduce your risk. Dressing in layers prevents your body from losing heat as well as wearing a hat and mittens. You should also eat well because your body turns that food into heat. With these few safety measures you can avoid either of these conditions while still having lots of fun outside during the winter.