by Marianne F. Halterman
It’s Ground Hog Day, and there are 6 more weeks of winter. Thinking about spring? You bet I am. As the weather in the U.S. warms up, people will be venturing out of doors excitedly welcoming so many signs of spring: Crocuses, daffodils, redbud trees blooming. There is still snow on the ground where I live, but as the snow and cold weather subside, people will begin heading for ponds, lakes and rivers to picnic, fish, enjoy natural wildlife and pursue water sports. They’ll be getting their outdoor water features, hot tubs and pools ready for warm weather use. Families with kayaks, canoes, all manner of water-crafts, sail and powerboats will be bringing them out of winter storage, and getting them ready to put them in the water. So along with this warm-weather planning, I can’t help but think about safety precautions, and the challenges of child safety in these cooler months in particular.
In many parts of the country, water in ponds, rivers and lakes is very cold–and will remain so at least until sometime in May or June, depending upon your location. Atlantic ocean beaches in the Carolinas won’t be warm enough for comfortable swimming until the end of May-beginning of June. The more northern beaches will experience warming a little later. Even though we are happily thinking about playing on the beach and eventually going swimming–the water is still cold. And cold water can be dangerous for us, humans. So this is about hypothermia.
Hypothermia is a condition that occurs when the temperature of the human body’s core falls below 98.6° F (37° C) to 95° F (35° C) or cooler. Hypothermia can occur quickly. The human body’s heat loss in cold water occurs 25 times faster than it does in cold air. Hypothermia affects the body’s important organs, especially the brain, heart and lungs, and can cause physical and mental deficits, unconsciousness and even death. According to the Minnesota Sea Grant, approximately 600 people die of hypothermia every year. Children, the elderly and infirm, and people with compromised immune systems and health challenges, and people under the influence of alcohol or drugs, are frequently susceptible to hypothermia when exposed to cold temperatures of air and/or water for prolonged periods of time. Outdoor sports enthusiasts–people who boat, hunt, swim, fish, hike or ski are likely targets for hypothermia!
So are young children who play out of doors! Outdoor activities and trips with friends and family can expose children to prolonged periods in the cold. Healthy adult human bodies may be better able to tolerate cold weather conditions and usually adults take breaks, but kids often do not. Children playing don’t realize how long they are out in the cold–and if hypothermia occurs–because children are too cold for too long–perhaps their clothes or shoes are wet and they’re out in the cold air too–emergency measures may be required to bring a child’s body temperature back to normal. As parents, caregivers and family members, it is up to you, to supervise your children’s amount of exposure to cold weather temperatures, and make sure they are warm enough, that they wear appropriate clothing and that they not stay outdoors in the cold too long! And if they go on outdoor trips with friends, make sure there are adults cognizant of safety measures along. As always, your child’s safety comes first!
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1 Minnesota Sea Grant, “Hypothermia Prevention: Survival in Cold Water”, University of Minnesota Duluth, 31 West College Street, Duluth, MN 55812, www.http://www.seagrant.umn.edu/coastal_communities/hypothermia#who
