Frostbite is skin damage caused by prolonged exposure to very low temperatures, usually below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Children are more prone to frostbite than adults because they are less cautious in cold weather and lose heat more quickly through their skin. Treatment involves protecting your child's skin from additional exposure, rewarming and dressing it, as well as removing dead skin. Antibiotics are often necessary to prevent infection, and surgery may be required to remove large areas of dead tissue.
Step 1
Ask your child if she has feeling in her toes, fingers, cheeks, nose, chin and ears; these areas are prone to frostbite. Also, ask her if she is experiencing any prickling or itching sensations anywhere on her body. Younger kids may understand this as a feeling similar to when their foot goes to sleep and wakes back up.
Step 2
Look closely at your child's skin under decent light. Mildly frostbitten skin appears red and feels cold, while more severely frostbitten skin looks white, pale, red or grayish-yellow. The skin may take on a hardened, waxy look.
Step 3
Check your child for numbness by gently scratching her skin with your fingernail or another dull object. Do not press down and be careful not to break the skin.
Step 4
Watch your child for clumsiness, a symptom that sometimes occurs when frostbite causes muscle and joint stiffness. This symptom generally occurs during severe frostbite and indicates that all layers of the skin are affected.
Step 5
Examine your child for blistering. In severe frostbite, blisters may develop about 24 hours after the skin rewarms.
Tips and Warnings
- Frostnip is a less severe form of frostbite that causes the skin to become very red and cold. It usually responds to prompt rewarming and home treatment.
