A child froze his cheeks - what should parents do?

Many parents are afraid to freeze the child and therefore do not go for a walk with him when the temperature drops below 20 ° C. But frostbite of the cheeks is possible even in autumn, when it is dank and very humid outside. In particular, infants are often exposed to this, since they are walking, lying in a wheelchair and hardly moving. And cheeks - a place that can not be protected by any clothing. Therefore, parents should know that, first of all, it is necessary to undertake, if the baby has frost his cheeks, and how to treat frostbite.

Frostbite - what is it?

The feeling of cold under the influence of low temperature is a defensive reaction of the human body, which speaks of vasoconstriction and impaired heat transfer.On the skin there are many small capillaries that can not only narrow in the cold, but also cease to function normally. As a result, the skin is left unprotected, which can cause damage or even the death of some of its cells. This is frostbite - a condition that occurs after a long stay in the cold.

Symptoms of frostbite of the cheeks in a child - how to determine?

Children's skin is more sensitive and tender than an adult, so parents should not be guided by their own feelings, being on the street in frosty weather. And the first signs that the baby froze his cheeks can be seen visually. Blush disappears, the skin turns pale, covered with light spots. If you find these signs, you must immediately go home.

If in the warmth the frostbite part of the skin after ten minutes returned its usual color, you should not worry. But if this did not happen, and there were other symptoms of frostbite - trembling, drowsiness, or, conversely, excessive activity, we must immediately take appropriate measures.

First aid for frostbite cheeks in a child

With a slight frostbite, the process of warming the affected area of ​​the face consists in slightly rubbing the skin with soft tissue. If the damage is stronger, a sharp thermal effect should be excluded. It is necessary that the blood circulation is restored naturally.

1. On the damaged areas it is necessary to impose and fix the bandage.
2. It is necessary to provide baby bed rest. As a rule, the bandage is made of gauze, covered with a small piece of insulating material. For these purposes, you can use oilcloth or rubberized fabric.
3. An important point in frostbite is the restoration of body temperature. This problem will help cope with a copious, warm drink.
4. An increase in temperature will have a beneficial effect on further blood circulation. While there will be heating events, you must call the doctor.

Precautionary measures

If frostbite of the child’s cheeks has occurred, you should not rub the damaged areas using alcohol, cold objects, oils. If these substances get into the microtraumas of the skin, the spread of the infection may begin, due to which further treatment will be difficult.

Do not attach hot objects and try to apply warm water. Such measures can cause irreversible complications, destroying soft tissue.

How to treat hardened skin?

If the skin on the frostbitten cheeks of the baby has become tough, then it is strictly forbidden to massage them in the cold. Such actions will cause great harm to the sensitive skin of the child, to the extent that its upper layers can break, which is why the baby will experience severe pain.

First you need to go home so that the crumb warms up, drink it with warm water or tea. Then you can go to the activities that will restore blood circulation in the damaged areas. With a strong frostbite of the cheeks, it is necessary that the treatment be carried out by a doctor.

However, if for some reason it is not possible to seek medical help, adults should take the necessary measures to help the child. To do this, it is necessary to apply a moisturizing agent to the affected cheeks - petroleum jelly or the usual cosmetic nourishing cream. The next stage is massaging hardened parts of the face with continuous circular movements.This should be done carefully so as not to injure the delicate skin of the child. Thanks to this procedure, it will be possible to restore impaired blood circulation in the tissues subjected to frostbite.

What to do with severe frostbite?

Until the ambulance arrived, you should give the child some warm tea, wear natural materials or cover him with a blanket. In case of severe pain syndrome, an anesthetic will help, for example, Nurofen. Follow-up therapeutic activities will be carried out by doctors.

Preventive measures

I all know that the prevention of any disease is a simpler exercise than treatment. Therefore, going to walk with the baby when it is freezing outside, you need to follow a few rules:

• Lubricate the cheeks of the child protective cream.
• Baby clothes should be from natural materials.
• The neck should be covered with a scarf, but the main thing here is not to overdo it - they should not be wrapped up in the face.

You should strictly watch the child for a walk, when a feeling of cold appears, you should immediately return home.

Video: first aid for frostbite