How to Treat Frostbite

Tuesday, June 28th, 2011

If you’re a natural outdoorsman who enjoys the hiking trail even when it’s littered with snow, you’ve probably encounter some pretty cold conditions before. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve had a real case of frostbite, even if you have exposed yourself to the possibility. Frostbite is a real and serious injury that should be treated as such, which is why you’ll want to hear about how to treat it.

Get inside or to an emergency room ASAP.

Needless to say, you’ll want to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Being in an environment where all of the air around you is temperature-controlled will help stop the frostbite from advancing. Even so, if the frostbite is serious, you’ll want to bring the victim in to the emergency room to be treated. Getting indoors is merely a treatment for being cold – someone with frostbite needs medical attention.

Use warm – not hot – water to help.

Immersing the affected extremities in warm water will help, but make sure that the feet or hands can stay warm after they’ve been thawed out. For example, warm water will lose its temperature quickly in a freezing environment outdoors. It’s also not a good idea to begin thawing someone’s affected parts if they’ll simply freeze over again, as this can cause tissue damage.

If you don’t have access to water, find something dry and insulating that can trap as much heat around the victim’s extremities as possible, such as a dry blanket. Be careful and gentle.

Don’t let the victim control the temperature.

Frostbite’s numbing effect means that the victim won’t feel warmth like they normally would, so don’t let them control the temperature. They might put their feet in scalding hot water simply to feel something when it could produce burns. Let someone with a warm body measure the temperature with their touch; as mentioned, the temperature of water should be warm and not hot.

Pain can be a sign that feeling is returning.

If the victim is being warmed and gradually feels more pain, that might be a sign that the feeling is returning. Don’t necessarily take it to mean that more heat is needed.

Overall, the best way to avoid frostbite is by preventing it. This means keeping tabs on your fingers and toes, not venturing too far from a source of shelter and heat, and keeping good circulation in your fingers and toes.

Photo Credits: winkyintheuk

Five Important Things to Remember When You’re Camping With Your Kids

Monday, May 9th, 2011

If you’re the parent of kids you might consider to be city-slickers, a jaunt into the woods for a good amount of time spent camping might exactly be what the doctor ordered. Not only does it help them realize the relative comforts of civilization, but you should be able to teach them some basic skills they can use all of their life. It’s also important to make sure that they stay safe and don’t take unnecessary risks. Here are five things to remember when you bring your kids on a camping trip.

1: Don’t try to drag them along.

Any input your children can give you into the camping trip itself should help them feel like they’re part of the caravan; try to avoid dragging along to somewhere only you want to go. Try to pick out three camping spots and ask them which one looks the most exciting to them, and get their input while purchasing some camping supplies. It could also help to put them in charge of on area of the camping trip, especially something small like s’mores.

2: Bring plenty of food, and avoid sugar.

If you have smaller children, it should probably go without saying that sugary foods come with an up-and-down effect: your children will be running wild and expending energy so much that they’ll practically collapse of exhaustion later. Feel free to bring a treat or two – if you must get something unhealthy, a salty snack might work better. If they need sugar, let them get that from fruit, which has a much more stable effect on mood.

3: Bring a first aid kit.

Kids are going to be more prone to bruises and scrapes around the camp, not to mention more serious things like burns. Be sure to be prepared with a first-aid kit in tow, and be ready to call in help if there’s an emergency. Clean out your kid’s scrapes and cuts to prevent infection, particularly if you’re on an extended camping trip.

4: Dole out fun duties to keep them occupied.

I don’t have to tell you that kids bore easily, so make sure that every kid who’s capable has a small task when it’s time to prepare a campfire dinner or get to bed. For example, if one child has been in charge of the s’mores, tell them to bring them out, and then help them find sticks for roasting marshmallows.

5: Have fun.

Remember that not everything has to be a mission when you’re having fun with your kids in the outdoors. Enjoy these times, particularly before your children grow up, because time will continue to fly by.

Photo Credits: gussifer | thecolorawesome.com