Frostbites may sound like a common ailment among children but when taken very lightly, these can lead to worse complications like tissue damage and amputation. As winter is approaching, here are a few early red flags to know about frostbites so complications can be avoided.
According to Romper, most of the warning signs can be noticed in infants' skin condition. Parents should always remember what their babies' skin looks like and how it feels. Knowing this by heart could make frostbite easily detectable and preventable.
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One of the early signs of frostbite is swelling. If a baby's skin is exposed to cold weather, it will develop redness and cause the area to plump. What parents can do is put a warm compress in the affected area for 30 minutes.
If parents are able to notice a slight change in a baby's skin color, especially if it's paler than usual, it can be an indication of frostbite. Once this is apparent, start layering clothes to keep the infant warm. Shiny and waxy skin could also be a red flag for frostbite. Frostbitten babies' skin could also noticeably look firm, dry and will feel often cold when touched. Frostbites also tend to numb babies' skin.
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Since it's hard to notice the earlier mentioned warning signs for frostbite, latter indication could be an aching, burning or tingling pain. When this happens, the best remedy is submerging the baby's affected area in warm water.
Blisters will also be seen if frostbites occur. These usually come out after 24 hours of exposure and babies can be relieved from these painful blisters through warm water as well. Just make sure to be careful in not breaking the blisters as it can aggravate the pain when touched.
If frostbite gets worse, it will usually harden and start turning black or blue. This is the signal that should be avoided at all costs as this is the advanced stage of frostbite warning signs.
If temperature goes subzero or below 32° F, parents should be prepping babies for warmer clothes. Most common areas affected with frostbite are the ones often exposed like fingers, nose, toes, ears, cheeks and chin, Stanford Children's Health notes. Children are also more prone to frostbite compared to adults because they tend to lose heat quicker.
Preventive measures against frostbite include covering the baby's skin as much as possible, changing of clothes especially if got wet and staying indoors. Offering warm drinks or soups may also help.
