Cold weather and hypothermia, experts say, go hand-in-hand. In fact, young children and older adults are more susceptible to this condition than other groups of people.

Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when your body loses heat faster than it can produce it, causing a dangerously low body temperature.

Normally, normal body temperature should be 98.6 F (37 C), and hypothermia occurs as one’s body temperature falls below 95 F (35 C).

When it comes to children, Dr Raymond Awazi, a paediatrician in Kigali, says hypothermia can occur when their body temperature is (36.1°C (97°F) or lower.

In general, he explains that when one’s body temperature drops, their heart, nervous system, and other organs can’t work normally.

More so, Dr Awazi says in some cases, if this is left untreated, hypothermia can lead to complete failure of the heart and respiratory system and eventually to death.

What you should know

Dr Janvier Rusizana, a general practitioner at La Nouvelle Clinic in Remera, Kigali, says hypothermia is often caused by exposure to cold weather or immersion in cold water.

He says that someone with hypothermia may not be aware of their condition because the symptoms often begin gradually.

According to Dr Rusizana, shivering is likely to be the first thing one can notice when they are suffering from hypothermia, explaining that at this point, the temperature starts to drop because of its body’s automatic defence against cold temperature (an attempt to warm itself).

Other signs may also include; slurred speech or mumbling, slow, shallow breathing, weak pulse among other signs.

"Prolonged exposure to any environment colder than your body can lead to hypothermia. Also, if one isn’t dressed appropriately during cold weather, it can lead to the condition,” Dr Rusizana says.

Other conditions that can lead to hypothermia include staying out in the cold for too long; being unable to get out of wet clothes, or moving to a warm, dry location, among others.

Risk factors

Dr Charles Sindabimenya, a specialist in internal medicine at Doctors Plaza in Kimironko, says when one is at an older age, they are likely to be exposed to hypothermia.

He explains that this is so because the body’s ability to regulate temperature and to sense cold may lessen with age. And that some older adults may not be able to communicate when they are cold, or move to a warm location if they do feel cold.

Dr Awazi says that kids are also at high risk as they lose heat faster than adults do.

"Children may also ignore the cold because there are playing and don’t find a need to move to a warmer place, or dress properly when they should,” he says.

Other risk factors, medics say, could also be alcohol and drug use. Dr Sindabimenya explains that alcohol may make one’s body feel warm inside, but it causes the blood vessels to expand, resulting in more rapid heat loss from the surface of the skin.

He notes that it’s evident that the body’s natural shivering response is diminished in people who’ve been drinking alcohol.

In addition, he says, the use of alcohol or recreational drugs can affect one’s judgment about the need to get inside or wear warm clothes in cold-weather conditions.

Studies indicate that those who develop hypothermia because of exposure to cold weather or cold water are also vulnerable to other cold-related injuries, including, freezing of body tissues as well as decay and death of tissue resulting from an interruption in blood flow.

Staying warm

Dr Rusizana says that the first treatments for hypothermia are methods to warm the body back to a normal temperature.

He advises that during these cold seasons, parents should ensure that their children are dressed in warm outfits and that depending on the child’s age, covering their hands and feet is essential.

Also, he says that there is a need to stay away from activities that would cause one to sweat a lot, especially for elderly people as the combination of wet clothing and cold weather has been shown to cause one to lose body heat more quickly.