BURLINGTON, VT — Parents have been asking me some cool questions about frostbite and how to recognize it in their children.
Let me see if I can warm things up and provide some information on this topic.
Frostnip and Frostbite: Risk and Treatment
Frostbite is literally frozen body tissue. It is usually skin but sometimes it can involve even deeper tissues.
Since kids lose heat more rapidly than adults, they are at greater risk for frostbite to occur — especially when they are reluctant to stop playing out in the cold and come inside to warm up.
The mildest and earliest form of frostbite is frostnip. This affects small areas of the exposed body such as the cheeks, nose, ears, fingers, and toes leaving them red and tingly.
Treatment is fairly simple. It involves bringing your child inside, removing all wet clothing, and putting the chilled body parts in warm (not hot) water. This means no more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes until normal sensation returns.
Full-blown frostbite requires medical attention and is characterized by white, waxy skin that feels numb and hard.
Here are some things you can do while you are in the process of heading to the Emergency Department or waiting for an ambulance:
• Get your child into a warm environment and dry clothing.
• Don’t rub frostbitten areas but treat them gently.
• Do not try to thaw out frostbite unless you are in a warm place — ideally the Emergency Department.
• Don’t use dry heat and don’t break any blisters.
• If their feet are affected, carry your child and don’t have them walk.
• Give them a warm drink to help them warm up.
Prevention Tips and Warning Signs
Of course, the best way to deal with frostbite is to prevent it from occurring. Here are some best practices:
• Have your child dress in lots of layers and remove layers if they are too hot.
• Choose fabrics other than cotton since cotton does not keep you very warm — thermal or woolen underwear is a great first layer.
• Heavy socks and waterproof boots are a must.
• Keep your child’s head covered to prevent loss of lots of body heat off the top of their head — along with scarves, face masks, and earmuffs, mittens or gloves.
• Keep your child hydrated to keep blood circulating to the end tissues like fingers and toes and don’t forget to set time limits on outdoor play in the cold to avoid frostbite and hypothermia.
Here are some warning signs to share with your child when they are outside and do the following:
• Begin to shiver or teeth chattering
• Feel dizzy or appearing clumsy
• Are unable to feel their fingers, toes, cheeks, ears or nose
If any of the above occurs, they need to come inside and warm up.
Hopefully, tips like these will melt away any concerns you have when it comes to knowing more about frostbite.
Lewis First, MD, is Chief of Pediatrics at The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. You can also catch “First with Kids” weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and NBC5.