Lowest temperature of recovery is 13 degrees and it was a 7year old girl from Sweden in Decenber 2010 (wikipedia.org/hypothermia, 10 July 2011)
Early treatment should invovle removal from the cold, hot drinks given and extra clothing
Mild: shivering, hypertension (high blood pressure), tachycardia (heart rate), tachypnea (rapid breathing) and vasconstriction (constriction of the blood veins)
Treatment: remove wet clothes, layer up, drink hot fluid (preferably milk or soup)
Moderate: shivering violently, muscle mis-coordination (more obvous than befor), pale features (lips, ears, fingers), toes blue, movement is slow, the person is stumbling and there is mild confusion.
Between these stages due to confusion the person may undress themselves believing they are warm.
Severe: difficulty speaking, sluggish thinking, the shivering stops, amnesia may appear, inability to use hands, the person will be incoherent and will behave irrationally. Below 30 degrees exposed skin will be blue and puffy. Also when close to death the person will burrow to make as small place to die (this is usually in the snow and is called terminal burrowing)
A good way to maintain heat is in the HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Posture) position (US, Australia)
This can only be used if you have a floatation device.
http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/coastal_communities/hypothermia 10 July 2011
Water Temp.: Exhaustion/unconsciousness: Expected time of Survival:
0 Under 15 mins. Under 15-45 mins.
0-4 15-30 mins. 30-90 mins.
4-10 30-60 mins. 1-3 hours
10-15.5 1-2 hours 1-6 hours
15.5-21 2-7 hours 2-40 hours
21-26 3-12 hours 3- indefinitely
26 over Indefinitely Indefinitely
http://www.westpacmarine.com/samples/hypothermia_chart.asp 10 July 2011
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