Safe Winter Play
by Alison Rhodes
Frostbite occurs when the skin and outer tissues become frozen. This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears, and nose. They may become pale, gray, and blistered. At the same time, the child may complain that her skin burns or has become numb. The skin may appear waxy or discolored and will be cold to the touch. The severity depends on several factors, including temperature, length of exposure, wind-chill factor, dampness, and type of clothing worn. To care for frostbite, soak the area in warm water (no warmer than 105 degrees F). Keep the area in the water until it looks red and feels warm. Do not rub the area, as this can cause further damage to soft tissue. Instead, loosely bandage the area with a dry sterile dressing.
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of frostbite will help you keep your kids safe while they enjoy building a snowman or making some great snow angels. And if they haven't yet tried one of these great winter sports, bundle them up, give them a healthy snack for some good energy, and go out and have some snowy winter fun!
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