Which combination of symptoms indicates mild hypothermia?

• A. Violent shivering, confusion, loss of coordination
• B. No shivering, confusion, hot skin
• C. Shivering, numb hands, slurred speech
• D. Heavy sweating, red face

Answer: (C)

Mild hypothermia shows the body's attempt to generate heat while the brain starts to feel the cold. Shivering is the main way the body makes heat, so its presence is a key sign. Numb hands reflect cold air and water cooling the nerves and reducing sensation in the extremities. Slurred speech signals that cooling is affecting brain function, even though the person can still talk. Put together, these features—shivering, numbness in the hands, and slowed/slurred speech—fit the mild stage before shivering worsens or stops and coordination declines.

The other patterns don’t fit early cold exposure: intense shivering with confusion and loss of coordination points to a more advanced stage; no shivering with confusion and hot skin isn’t consistent with hypothermia; heavy sweating and a red face suggest overheating, not cold.