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Putnam Health Department Offers Cold Weather Advice
With a return of colder weather to the New York area, Putnam residents should take precautions against extreme cold.
When the mercury plunges, those who bodies cannot easily regulate their temperature, such as infants and the elderly, are at increased risk of hypothermia. Hypothermia is a lifethreatening condition that causes the body's core temperature to drop. Warning signs of hypothermia in adults include shivering, confusion, memory loss, drowsiness, exhaustion and slurred speech. Infants who are suffering from hypothermia may appear to have very low energy and bright red, cold skin.
Accidental hypothermia can occur even with temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees. In homes of people who are over 65, the thermostat should be set no lower than 65 degrees, or 70 degrees if the occupants are 75 or older. Infants less than one year of age should never sleep in a cold room and should be provided with warm clothing and a blanket to prevent loss of body heat.
Frostbite is another cold weather concern, and is especially dangerous because it often happens with little warning. Numbness can occur so quickly that the individual, unaware of being frostbitten, may remain outside, increasing the chance of permanent damage. Older persons, and those with diabetes, are especially vulnerable to frostbite because of impaired circulation.
Frostbite occurs in three stages: First degree frostbite usually causes a whitening of the skin, followed by redness, tingling and loss of feeling. In second degree frostbite the skin turns purple and blisters begin to form. Third degree frostbite, which affects those subjected to severe exposure, can lead to gangrene and amputation. Snowmobilers, skiers and ice skaters should stop frequently to check exposed areas of their body for loss of feeling and other danger signs.
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