Cold Weather Safety for Children: Preventing Frostbite & Hypothermia (2024)

FAQs

Cold Weather Safety for Children: Preventing Frostbite & Hypothermia? ›

Take these steps to avoid frostbite and hypothermia:

Dress in several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight clothing instead of a single heavy layer. Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear a hat, mittens (not gloves), and sturdy waterproof boots to protect your arms, legs, hands and feet. Cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.

One of the best ways to prevent hypothermia is to dress in appropriate outdoor clothing, use heat packs or other body warmers as necessary, keep as little skin exposed as possible, stay dry, and move to a warm environment when there are signs of body cooling (e.g., numbness, instability, confusion).

The red zone is when the wind chill temperatures drop below 20 degrees. The rule here is to stay indoors. The risk to your child's skin becomes too great when the temperatures drop below 20. Stay indoors and have fun with indoor activities.

Children can quickly grow out of clothes and accessories. You can visit second-hand stores to shop for these items. These accessories keep fingers and toes from getting frostbitten, especially when playing in wet snow. The CDC recommends not to let your children play outside in temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Does vaseline prevent frostbite? ›

Vaseline and other topical creams do not prevent frostbite and should not be used in this manner.

Skiers, hikers, soldiers and others exposed to extreme cold temperatures can experience frostbite — a painful injury that occurs when ice crystals form in the skin.

Frostbite is damage to skin and tissue caused by exposure to freezing temperatures – typically any temperature below -0.55C (31F). Frostbite can affect any part of your body, but the extremities, such as the hands, feet, ears, nose and lips, are most likely to be affected.

Skin to skin is the best way to prevent hypothermia. If using blankets make sure all is dry and cover the head. The head looses the most heat in the body.

HELP (Heat Escape Lessening Posture)

If you're alone, the best option to limit body heat loss is the HELP position. Draw your knees to your chest and wrap your arms around your knees. Clasp your hands together so you're in a tucked position. Stay in this position.

Prevent hyperthermia by drinking plenty of fluids and staying in air-conditioned spaces when it's hot outside. You can usually treat hyperthermia at home with cool compresses and fluids. You must seek medical attention immediately if you develop heat stroke, or a body temperature of 106 degrees or higher. MedlinePlus.

In order to decrease perioperative hypothermia patient should be actively pre warmed 20–30 min before surgery and the operation room ambient temperature should be at least 21 °C, transfusions rates greater than 500 mL/h should be warmed first and intraoperative irrigation fluids should be prewarmed to 38–40 °C [11].