Avoiding Hypothermia

The death of a 27-year-old Fond du Lac woman over the New Year’s holiday due to exposure to the cold emphasizes the importance of dressing appropriately and limiting your time outdoors during extreme cold. Fond du Lac County Public Health Officer Kim Mueller recommends dressing warmly and limiting exposure of your skin to the cold during sub zero wind chills. She says your fingers, nose or toes can freeze in seconds during that type of cold. She also recommends checking on the socially isolated such as those who live alone, the sick or elderly to make sure they are doing well. In children signs of hypothermia include bright red, but cold skin. In adults the symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness.