Frostbite. Medical care for a child

FUNDAMENTALS OF FIRST AID
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Frostbite. Medical care for a child

Fundamentals of First Aid (OPMP)

Frostbite - this is tissue damage when exposed to low temperatures, mainly when exposed to atmospheric air. There are also unfavorable factors that aggravate the effect of low temperature: wind, humid air, duration of exposure, poor protection of the body with clothing. Therefore, you can get frostbite even at a temperature of 0-3 ° C, in wet and windy weather. Tight shoes are more likely to freeze your feet than loose shoes.

Exposure to cold can lead to serious consequences - damage to the skin, blood vessels and bones. Frostbite can occur on any part of the body, but the most common areas of frostbite are exposed parts of the face, fingers and toes, earlobes, and nose. Frostbitten skin is hard to the touch, waxy and numb. When warm, it may blister, swell, and turn red, blue, or purple.

Sometimes it is difficult to judge how serious frostbite damage is, so it is necessary to give the child first aid in any case, and then take him to the doctor. If frostbite is very severe, an ambulance should be called immediately. Moreover, along with frostbite, the child may have hypothermia.

Frostbite degrees

1st degree frostbite: pale bluish patches surrounded by bright red skin.

2nd degree frostbite: cyanotic skin with blisters filled with a clear liquid.

3st degree frostbite: bluish skin with blisters filled with bloody fluid.

4st degree frostbite: blackening of the skin.

Frostbite symptoms

Numbness of a frostbitten part of the body.

Reduced or absent pain sensitivity.

Burning and pain on warming.

The skin is pale bluish, cold.

blisters.

When to see a doctor

If the child has severe trembling caused by hypothermia.

If the body temperature does not rise above 35°C.

If you think the child has been exposed to prolonged exposure to cold.

ATTENTION!

When frostbite is impossible:

warm the affected parts of the body with hot water or with a direct heat source such as a radiator, car heater, fire, or electric blanket;
rub with snow and massage the affected areas of the body;
open blisters;
warm the affected parts of the body right on the street, if it is not possible to keep the body warm.

First aid in case of frostbite

1. Place the baby in a warm place as soon as possible and keep him awake.

2. Remove wet clothes from the child.

3. Check the child for signs of shock. In this case, provide anti-shock assistance:

lay it down and raise your legs to a height of 30-40 cm;
if you suspect a head, neck, back, or leg injury, simply lay your child down.

SYMPTOMS OF PAIN SHOCK

The child's head is spinning.

He loses consciousness.

The skin becomes pale, cold and moist.

Breathing is shallow and rapid.

The pulse is weak and frequent.

4. Wrap your baby in warm blankets or clothes and put on a hat, then surround him with hot water bottles, heating pads, or keep him warm with your own body heat.

5. If the child is conscious, give him a warm drink.

6. Immerse the frostbitten parts of the body in warm, but not hot (36-37°C) water for 20-30 minutes, gradually raising the water temperature to 40°C (by adding hot water to a basin or bath). To warm up faster, stir the water with your hand.

7. Then apply a dry sterile dressing to the affected area. If your fingers or toes have been frostbitten, place bandages between each finger.

8. Prevent further frostbite by wrapping warm areas.

9. Try to move the warmed parts of the body as little as possible.

10. If the sensitivity and color of the skin are restored, no further treatment is required.

11. If sensitivity and skin color have not recovered:

put fabric or gauze pads between your fingers:
apply a clean, loose bandage to frostbitten hands or feet;
lift a frostbitten hand or foot;
ask the child to move the frostbitten part of the body so that blood circulation improves in it;
if the feet are frostbitten, do not allow the child to walk;
if extensive areas of the body are frostbitten, give the child a warm drink to replace fluid loss.

Symptoms of hypothermia

Strong trembling.

Weakness.

Drowsiness.

Confusion of consciousness.

Rare breath.

Very low body temperature - below 35°C.

Shock.

First aid for hypothermia

1. Place the child in a warm room.

2. Take off his clothes and shoes.

3. Rub frostbitten areas of the body with a dry cloth.

4. Place the frostbitten parts of the body or the whole child in a bath of warm water (36°C). Then slowly raise the water temperature from 36 to 40°C over 20 minutes. To warm up faster, stir the water with your hand.

ATTENTION!

Do not put a hypothermic child in hot water! This will lead to injury.

5. At the same time, gently massage the frostbitten areas of the body.

6. When the sensitivity is restored and the skin turns pink, dry the child, put him to bed and drink hot tea or milk.

7. In case of frostbite of the ears and face after all the above procedures, additionally wipe the skin with vodka and lubricate with baby cream.

8. In case of frostbite, starting from the second degree, hospitalization in the surgical or burn department of the hospital is necessary.

Author: Basharova N.A.

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