Falling snow can be a pretty tempting sight for kids suffering from cabin fever, but parents need to pay attention to the falling temperatures that may accompany a fresh winterscape.
Wind chills, the amount of time spent outside, and wet clothing can also impact a child’s risk for frostbite, frostnip and other cold weather concerns.
“Frostbite is when the skin and body tissues freeze,” said Rebecca Mundy, RN, BSN, a burn education coordinator. “It usually affects your extremities like your chin, your cheek, your nose, ears and especially your fingers and toes.”
Mundy noted that it’s important for parents to keep a close eye on their kids. The symptoms of frostbite can be subtle at first, but the affects can be lasting if not caught in time.
“With frostnip, you may see white patchy areas on the skin and you may notice some numbness or tingling to the area,” said Mundy. “With frostbite, the area may be white and yellowish in color, may have a waxy appearance, the skin may feel numb, you might have tingling, and you will have pain to the area.”
Plenty of warm layers and a little common sense can help keep kids safe as they build forts and make snow angels. Mundy discussed these and other tips to treat and prevent frostbite and frostnip in the following video.
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