How to Protect Your Child From Frostbite

Frostbite is when a person’s skin freezes from exposure to cold temperatures. Children are at risk for frostbite when they are out in cold weather. When skin freezes, it first turns red and then turns white or grey.

The skin may tingle, hurt, or become numb. Frostbite can affect any part of your child’s body, but the areas that are most at risk include the fingers, toes, cheeks, nose, and ears.

There are two types of frostbite. Superficial frostbite means that only the surface of the skin is affected. With deep frostbite, the damage affects more layers of skin. Frostbite can result in serious damage to the affected body parts.

When cold weather arrives, be sure to take steps to protect your child from frostbite.

Why is it important to protect my child from frostbite?

Frostbite is a serious condition that can permanently damage your child’s skin. Your child could develop lifelong pain, stiffness, or sensitivity in frostbite areas. In severe cases, frostbite can cause a person to lose fingers or toes.

What steps can I take to protect my child from frostbite?

Make sure your child is dressed for the cold

• Have your child wear appropriate clothing for cold weather, including a jacket, gloves or mittens, shoes, socks, and a hat.
• Dress your child in warm layers.
• Use two layers of socks for extra protection.
• Choose waterproof shoes, hats, and gloves or mittens to keep your child from getting wet and cold. Mittens keep hands warmer than gloves do.
• Choose a fleece or wool hat to keep the head warm.

Help your child stay dry

• Try to keep your child from getting wet while out in cold weather.
• Tell your child to come inside and change out of wet clothes right after play.
• Prevent snow from getting into your child’s boots or clothing. You can do this by making sure clothes are sealed at the wrists and ankles.

Take other steps to reduce the risk

• Limit the amount of time that your child is outside when temperatures approach freezing. Freezing is 32°F (0°C).
• Have your child drink enough fluid to keep his or her urine clear or pale yellow. Being dehydrated increases the risk of frostbite.
• Teach teens that drinking alcohol and smoking can make frostbite more likely when they are outside in the winter. This is because of the way that both alcohol and nicotine can change blood flow.

How do I know if my child has frostbite?

Signs and symptoms of frostbite include the following:

• The affected area of skin first looks red and then turns pale, white, gray, or blistered.
• Your child says that the skin or the fingers and toes hurt, tingle, or have no feeling (are numb).
• The skin may feel hard and cold to the touch.

What should I do if I think my child has frostbite?

Take these steps if you think your child has frostbite:

• Bring the child inside right away.
• Remove cold, wet clothing. Put the parts of your child’s body with frostbite into warm water. Do not use hot water.
• Soak your child’s skin for a few minutes and then gently pat it dry.
• Wrap your child in blankets. Do not place heated blankets or hot pads directly on your child’s skin. Frozen skin can also burn.
• Give your child a warm nonalcoholic drink, such as tea or hot chocolate, to help him or her warm up.
• Do not rub your child’s skin to warm it up. This can damage it further.

When should I seek medical care?

Seek medical care if your child still has numbness after a few minutes of gentle warming up.

When should I seek immediate medical care?

Seek emergency care if your child has symptoms of hypothermia. Hypothermia is a condition in which the body temperature gets too low. It can happen at the same time as frostbite. Symptoms include:

• Slurred speech.
• Clumsiness.
• Sleepiness.