Frostbite is damage to the skin and it’s underlying tissues caused by the  cold. Children are affected more quickly than adults. Frostbite often affect small, exposed areas of the skin such as hands and fingers, feet and toes, nose, ears and cheeks. Snow , rain , wind as well as water can cause the skin to cool very fast and this can lead to frostbite. Frostbite needs immediate medical care and may be associated with hypothermia  which is also a serious medical condition that requires emergency care.

What are the signs of frostbite ?

 
Some of the early signs of frostbite include the following :

• paler skin than normal which is cold, firm and dry
• pain, burning , tingling and aching
• swelling
• blisters in the first 24 hours after exposure

What is Frostnip ?

 
The skin goes through the frostnip  stage before frostbite sets in.  This can be treated at home and gets better with rewarming. If your child has frostnip, do the following :

• bring the child indoors immediately
• remove all wet clothing to prevent heat being drawn away from the body
• immerse chilled parts of the baby’s body into warm ( about 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 41 degrees Celsius) not hot water for about 20 to 30 minutes until all sensations return . If you dont have a thermometer , you can dip your elbow in the water to make sure it is not too hot.
• you can also use body heat to rewarm
• do not use heating devices such as stoves , radiators and  heating pads because this can cause further damage

What do i do if my child has frostbite ?

• call the doctor  immediately or take the child to the emergency room
• if the affected area is the feet, you have to carry the child. Do not let the child walk on frostbitten feet
• get your child in a warm environment and get him into dry clothing

 
If you cannot get the child to the hospital right away and need to wait for the ambulance, you have to administer first aid treatment.

• give the child something warm  to drink
• immerse frozen areas of the body in warm water. If warm water is not available, gently wrap the baby in warm blankets or use body heat on the affected area
• It is important NOT to use direct heat such as fire or heating pad. This is because the affected area is numb and this can cause burning
• do not thaw the area affected by frostbite if it is at risk of refreezing before you get to the health care provider. This is because thawing and refreezing these areas can cause severe tissue damage
• apply sterile dressing to the affected areas. Place the dressing between fingers and toes  if they are affected. Do not make sterile dressing too tight. Try not to bother any blisters that has formed and keep the  area clean to prevent infection
• wrapped rewarmed areas to prevent refreezing  and let your child try to keep the thawed areas as  still as possible

How to prevent my child from getting frostbite ?

 
You can reduce the risk of your child getting frostbite in the cold weather by doing the following :

• dress the child in layered clothing
• use winter accessories such as  hats, gloves, thick soaks, well insulated boots to cover body areas that are prone to frostbite
• make sure kids come indoor regular to warm up
• check for signs of frostnip   such as reddening, numbing and tingling of the skin when outside. It usually affects  the extremities  and areas that are exposed to wind and cold such as ears, nose, face, fingers and toes
• remove wet clothing immediately because they draw away heat from the body

 
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