Frostbite of the cheeks in infants symptoms. The child froze his cheeks - what to do? Signs of frostbite on the exposed skin of a child

19.04.2019

This article will discuss what signs will indicate that the cheeks are frostbitten and what needs to be done in order to cure it. It will also be possible to learn about what precautions can be taken to ensure that this does not happen.

Everyone knows that frostbite of the cheeks can occur from prolonged exposure to frost. When frostbite occurs, this may be evidence that normal blood circulation has been disturbed, as well. That is why we must know about how to treat frostbite on the cheeks, as well as measures that will help to avoid it.

The main signs that frostbite has occurred on the cheeks are the following symptoms: the skin on the cheeks will have a pale bluish appearance, and will also be insensitive. Also, the cheeks may be too red and there may be a slight burning sensation and tingling, but since children rarely pay attention to these symptoms, then talking about frostbite will be useless for them. That is why the main task of parents will be to control the amount of time that the child will spend on the street in winter frosts.

But if it so happened that the child's cheeks began to be pinched, then it is necessary to bring him home and already at this stage of frostbite of the cheeks, take any measures in order to restore normal blood circulation. Parents should be aware that as the cheeks warm up, there will be pain. At this point you can drink hot tea with honey, which will help increase blood circulation. During pain, you can do in a circular motion cheek massage.

On the street, it is not recommended to heat and rub your cheeks, as you can damage delicate skin cheeks. You can use the old and proven method of our grandmothers, for example, rub your cheeks with Vaseline or pork fat and hold on the face for 1-1.5 hours. If frostbite appears at the site, this will indicate that blood circulation has returned to normal. You can also lubricate the skin of the cheeks with a moisturizer.

If bubbles appeared on the cheeks, then more strong treatment. Such a vial cannot be pierced, but it is best to cauterize it with an alcohol solution and wait until it dries. Also, for the treatment of frostbite of the cheeks, wound healing ointments can be used, which help to cope well with wounds and quickly tighten them.

To prevent frostbite on the cheeks, you can talk with your child and tell him about what can happen if you are in the cold. long time and what the consequences might be. In order to prevent frostbite on the cheeks in severe frosts, you can use specially creams, where there is an increased percentage of fat content, which will help keep the skin healthy and there will be no problems. But it is best to go outside in severe frosts only when it is really necessary. And if you already had frostbite, then diligently take care of your cheeks.

Doctor Komarovsky. Red cheeks in children

Frostbite on the cheeks is a problem that occurs in late fall, early spring, or freezing winters. Small children usually suffer, because the skin of their cheeks is thin, delicate, and easily injured. In adults this disease occurs less frequently. Symptoms develop quickly and imperceptibly. May have dire consequences for human body. What to do with frostbite of the cheeks, and how to diagnose this condition, everyone should know.

Causes and aggravating factors of frostbite of the cheeks

Prolonged exposure to low temperatures on the skin is the main reason that leads to frostbite of the cheeks. Under the influence of cold, blood circulation is disturbed upper layers skin, their ischemia and necrosis occurs. Also, there are a number of factors that contribute to the occurrence of frostbite on the cheeks. These include:

Weakened body. In the presence of severe chronic diseases, severe fatigue, starvation, the body is not able to produce enough heat. A sick person freezes much faster, so he is more prone to developing frostbite.
Lack of warm clothes. If open areas of the body (cheeks, hands) are not closed warm clothes, then the risk of frostbite is greatly increased.
Alcohol intoxication. Under the toxic effect of alcohol, superficially located vessels dilate. All metabolic processes in the body are disturbed, all types of sensitivity are dulled, therefore, the likelihood of frostbite of the cheeks and limbs increases.

Depending on how long the body is exposed to low temperatures, and what their value, clinical picture will be appropriate. If you have frostbite on your cheek, you should definitely consult a doctor.

The first signs of frostbite of the cheeks

The first signs of frostbite on the cheeks are usually ignored. These symptoms include:

Change in skin color. Cheeks first turn red, and after warming - white.
Violation of sensitivity. The first signal of frostbite in adults is a burning or itching sensation in some parts of the cheeks.
Change in skin temperature. At the first stage of frostbite, the cheek is cold to the touch, and after warming it becomes warmer. In more severe stages, the cheeks remain cold for a long time.
The presence of a seal. If a child has frostbitten cheeks, small indurations of the surface layers of the skin often occur. These areas hurt and cause discomfort to the baby.

Frostbite of the cheek can occur even with slight frosts. The appearance of this disease contributes high humidity air and strong cold wind.

How frostbite of the cheeks of varying severity looks like

There are four degrees of frostbite, which have significant differences.

First. The skin of the cheeks has bright red color. There is a slight pain in the area that frostbite. After warming up, all symptoms disappear. A week later, the frostbitten area of the skin begins to peel off.
Second. It is characterized by the appearance of small blisters on the skin, which are filled with a clear liquid. The sensitivity of the frostbitten area is greatly reduced.
Third. Bubbles increase in size, filled with hemorrhagic contents. noted strong pain. After a week, scars form at the site of frostbite.
Fourth. The frostbitten area of the skin has a bluish tint, after warming it looks swollen and hurts a lot. Over time, there is a rejection of all layers of the skin, down to the bones.

Depending on the stage, the duration and nature of the treatment will differ.

Important! What to do if a person has frostbitten cheek, only a doctor can tell

Do's and Don'ts for Cheek Frostbite

Everyone should know what to do with frostbite on the cheeks. Incorrect actions in the treatment of this disease can lead to severe consequences. When frostbite occurs on the cheeks, you need to warm up. If this is the first degree, you need to warm the affected area as slowly as possible. You can warm the skin with breathing, gentle, light massage with warm fingertips or soft tissue. If a more severe degree of cold damage occurs, then you need to call an ambulance or go to the hospital.

It is forbidden to quickly warm the affected skin area during frostbite. Because of sharp drop temperatures may cause extensive hemorrhage. You can not rub alcohol, oil into the affected skin, smear it with fat or oil.

Is it always possible to cope with frostbite of the cheeks with home and folk remedies

Alternative methods can not always help you cure frostbite on the cheeks. In some cases, improper use of such funds can even harm and worsen the condition. The main thing is to adequately assess the severity of the damage and select the appropriate treatment after consulting with your doctor, even if you decide to use traditional medicine. The specialist will tell you what to do with frostbite on the cheeks, what will be effective, how best to use the funds and what you can refuse.

This advice applies to frostbite of the second degree and above, since with this severity of the lesion it is impossible to treat frostbite of the cheeks without specialized help. Simply anointing the skin with something or taking other "grandmother's" measures is not enough. Folk remedies can only act as an auxiliary therapy, and not the main one. It is important to always remember that unsuccessfully selected methods of treatment can lead to complications. Therefore, without certain knowledge, improper first aid for frostbite of the cheek can cause irreparable damage to health.

When to Seek Medical Care and Which Doctor

With severe lesions at home, it is impossible to cure frostbite. If the face has symptoms of second-degree frostbite (blistering, discoloration skin, cracks and sores), you must immediately seek specialized care. The doctor will conduct a comprehensive examination and prescribe an effective treatment.

How to prevent frostbite on the cheeks

To prevent the development of frostbite, you need to adhere to simple recommendations.Better listen to simple advice than to treat a frostbitten cheek later.

To keep the cheeks warm, it is advisable to use a scarf with a coarse knit to warm the face.
It is recommended to smear open areas protective cream on the oily base which prevents cracking and heat loss.
If there are signs of frostbite or hypothermia, such as a change in the color of the cheeks, their strong blanching or redness, it is advisable to warm up as soon as possible in a warm room. If you can’t do this, then take active exercise which will improve heat production and blood circulation in the body.

These simple rules protect cheeks from frostbite and protect against the development of hypothermia.

Many parents are afraid of frostbite to 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, they are often subjected to this infants because they walk lying in a stroller and practically do not move. And the cheeks are a place that cannot be protected by any clothing. Therefore, parents should know what, first of all, should be done if the baby has frostbite on the cheeks, and how to treat frostbite.

Frostbite - what is it?

Feeling cold under the influence low temperature is a protective reaction of the human body, which indicates 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 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 delicate compared to adults, so parents should not be guided by their own feelings while being outside in frosty weather. And the first signals that the baby has frostbitten cheeks can be seen visually. The blush disappears, the skin turns pale, covered bright spots. If you find these signs, you should immediately go home.

If in the heat the frostbitten part of the skin after ten minutes returned its familiar color, don't worry. But if this did not happen, and other symptoms of frostbite appeared - trembling, drowsiness, or, conversely, excessive activity appropriate action must be taken immediately.

First aid for frostbite in a child

With mild frostbite, the process of warming the affected area of \u200b\u200bthe face consists in slightly rubbing the skin with a soft cloth. If the lesion is more severe, a sharp thermal effect should be excluded. It is necessary that blood circulation is restored in a natural way.

Bandage should be applied to the damaged areas and fixed.
Baby needs to be provided bed rest. As a rule, the bandage is made of gauze covered with a small piece of heat-insulating material. For these purposes, you can use oilcloth or rubberized cloth.
An important point in frostbite is the restoration of body temperature. A warm, plentiful drink will help to cope with this task.
An increase in temperature will favorable influence for further circulation. While heating events are being carried out, it is necessary to call a doctor.

Precautionary measures

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

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

How to treat hardened skin?

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

First you need to return home so that the baby warms up, give him warm water or tea to drink. Then you can move on to activities that will restore blood circulation in the damaged areas. With severe frostbite of the cheeks, it is necessary that the treatment be carried out by a doctor.

However, if for some reason the request for medical care is not possible, adults themselves must take the necessary measures to help the child. To do this, you need to apply a moisturizer on the affected cheeks - petroleum jelly or ordinary cosmetic nutritious cream. The next stage is massaging the hardened parts of the face with continuous circular movements. This must be done carefully so as not to further injure the delicate skin of the child. Thanks to this procedure, it will be possible to restore impaired blood circulation in tissues that have undergone frostbite.

What to do with severe frostbite?

Treatment of severe frostbite of the cheeks in children is carried out in a hospital. For this reason, if, in addition to hardening of the skin, there is such a symptom as rupture of capillaries on it, which outwardly resembles a thin mesh under the skin, it is necessary to call as soon as possible emergency care. In addition, such a lesion can cause a complication in the form of the formation of watery blisters on the skin, which are strictly forbidden to touch.

Until I arrived ambulance, you should give the child warm tea to drink, put on him things from natural materials or cover with a blanket. With severe pain, an anesthetic, for example, Nurofen, will help. Subsequent therapeutic measures will be carried out by doctors.

Preventive measures

Everyone knows that prevention of any disease is a simpler measure than treatment. Therefore, if you are going to take a walk with the baby when it is frosty outside, you need to follow a few rules:

Lubricate the child's cheeks with a protective cream.
Baby clothes should be made from natural materials.
The neck should be covered with a scarf, but the main thing here is not to overdo it - they should not wrap their face.

During the walk, you must strictly monitor the child, when a feeling of cold appears, you must immediately return home.

Video: first aid for frostbite

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In a harsh winter with severe frosts, people quite often get frostbite on their cheeks - one of the most unprotected parts of the body is easily amenable to negative action cold.

How to determine that a person has received a cold injury? What can and cannot be done in this case? How effective will first aid be and is it necessary to go to the hospital? You will read about this and much more in our article.

Symptoms of frostbite of the cheeks

The process of cold injury has its own specific symptoms - the more a high degree a person received frostbite, the more vivid signs of pathology are visible to the naked eye.

The first signs of the beginning of this process are considered to be slight tingling on the cheeks, burning sensation, numbness. At the same time, the skin turns pale (in case of 1 degree of frostbite), acquire marble shade(grade 2), turn blue (grade 3), and may even turn black (grade 4).

As the pathology progresses, there may be pain syndrome, the intensity of which depends on the strength and duration of the damaging cold factor.

If a person has received a slight frostbite, then he feels normal. In the case of medium and severe forms major cold injury vital statistics the victim begin to deteriorate - the pulse slows down, the arterial pressure, breathing worsens, some reflexes disappear or are distorted, the patient may lose consciousness.

In the process of warming the affected parts of the body, the skin can acquire a red tint (1 degree), blisters with transparent or bloody contents form on the epithelium (2 and 3 degrees of frostbite, respectively), soft tissues in severe cases are partially destroyed and amenable to necrosis, they form severe swelling(4 degree of damage).

First aid for frostbite cheeks

A victim of frostbite of the nose should be given timely and:

Transportation to a heated dry room. The victim must be moved from the cold to a warm and dry room;
Change of clothes. Before performing any first aid actions, it is necessary to change the person into dry clothes, including underwear;
Warming procedure. Doctors recommend artificial warming only for mild forms of frostbite of the cheeks. The process itself should be as smooth and stretched as possible. Start with a light warming massage on the affected areas, then apply a heating pad to them with an external temperature of no more than 30 degrees Celsius. These events are held for half an hour;
Warm food and drinks. If a person feels relatively normal, does not lose consciousness, all basic reflexes (including swallowing) are preserved, then he is recommended to regularly give warm drink and food with a temperature of no more than 35 degrees;
After the implementation of the above measures, the victim is laid in bed under a thick blanket pulled over to the very eyes.

The above recommendations are relevant for stage 1 frostbite of the cheeks.. If the victim has frostbite medium degree, then it is not recommended for him to warm up and give him drink, food - after being transported to the room and changing clothes, a heat-insulating bandage of cotton wool and gauze is applied to the cheek area, after which a doctor is called for further instructions.

In severe form of frostbite, especially its 4th degree, a person cannot be transported home - an ambulance team is called directly from the scene of the incident, which will take him to the nearest hospital for intensive or resuscitation therapy.

Before the arrival of specialists, apply a reinforced heat-insulating bandage from improvised materials (cotton wool, gauze, cotton fabric, polyethylene rubber) - it will not allow freezing of lesion localizations before admission to the hospital.

What not to do with frostbite of the cheeks

Do not apply to a victim of frostbite the following means and methods:

Rub your cheeks with snow. Classic " folk remedy» against frostbite entails risks of superficial damage to the skin with the introduction of secondary bacterial infections, as well as violation of the integrity peripheral vessels, which leads to deterioration of heat transfer and general condition frostbitten localization;
Drinking alcohol. Alcoholic drinks and cold are not compatible! Alcohol causes a subjective temporary feeling of warmth, while expanding blood vessels - the latter in the cold give off heat faster and provoke a higher degree of frostbite. In addition, a drunk person poorly assesses the potential risks of pathology, paying attention to obvious signs of frostbite very late. Also, the use of alcoholic beverages causes drowsiness, which low temperatures and the absence of active movement can cause complete deep systemic hypothermia of the whole organism and even death;
Quickly thaw frostbite. Cheeks should not be warmed too quickly and high temperatures- prohibited open fire, contact with hot surfaces, and so on;
Use separate external means. After receiving frostbite, the victim should not be rubbed with ointments, creams and tinctures based on fat, oil and alcohol.

You can find out about other errors.

Cheek frostbite treatment

Drug treatment of frostbite is recommended to be carried out on an outpatient or inpatient basis, under the supervision of qualified doctors - self-prescription of drugs in most cases leads to a deterioration in the current condition of the patient. A specific therapeutic regimen, duration of therapy and dosage of drugs is selected by a specialized specialist.

Folk methods of treatment

Traditional medicine recipes in case of frostbite of the cheeks can only be used for mild forms of cold injury and after prior approval of the specific technique by your doctor.

Compress. It is necessary to purchase a pharmacy tincture of calendula. Mix 1 teaspoon of the product in 0.5 liters warm water, then apply on frostbitten cheeks in the form of compresses - 2-3 times a day for 40 minutes. The duration of therapy is about 7 days;
juice mix. It is necessary to take in equal proportions freshly squeezed juice from lemon and celandine (50 grams each), mix them together. Add a dash of ginger to the mixture. Means to rub the cheeks 3 times a day for 1 week;
Lotions from chamomile. Purchase a package of dried chamomile flowers from the pharmacy. Brew 1 tablespoon of them in a glass of boiling water, wrap and let it brew for 2 hours, then strain and put lotions with the resulting remedy 4 times a day for 1 week;
Miraculous viburnum berries. Kalina is an ancient Russian remedy for frostbite, used internally. Several dozen large fresh berries brew in 0.5 liters of boiling water, let it brew for 15 minutes, drain. Divide the liquid by 3 equal shares, which must be consumed in the morning, afternoon and evening before meals. Repeat taking the remedy for 7-10 days.

Features of the treatment of frostbite of the cheeks in children

Children more often than adults freeze their cheeks in winter - the reason for this is a longer stay in the open air, as well as the carelessness of a child who does not always correctly assess the current state of the body, especially in the process of actively playing. In addition, the mechanisms of heat regulation are not fully formed in small representatives of society, as a result of which open parts of the body cool down faster at low temperatures. You can read about frostbite in children.

You will be interested... If you suspect a child has frostbite on the cheeks, you need to slowly bring him home from the street to a warm, dry room. At stage 1 of cold damage, you can use a light warming massage, as well as heating pads with water, the temperature of which does not exceed 30-35 degrees. You can not lubricate the affected cheeks with fat, rub with snow or use other "folk" methods, as they will only worsen the condition of the skin.

With moderate degrees of frostbite, the first choice drugs are external agents that do not penetrate systemically into the bloodstream - these are special healing ointments that have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects - for example, triderm or sinaflan. As a supplement, a child can be given paracetamol or ibuprofen - these drugs are harmless, relieve moderate pain and weaken inflammatory process. In severe stages of frostbite of the cheeks, treatment at home is unacceptable - the child must be hospitalized in the nearest hospital.

Winter is the time for outdoor games, sledding, snowballs, modeling snowman. The frosty air stings the skin, but despite this, the kids are delighted with winter fun. Parents cannot get enough of laughing children who love to lie in the snow so much ... But it is worth remembering the consequences of such active rest, namely the possibility of frostbite on the cheeks of a child.

Signs of frostbite

Frostbite occurs as a result of prolonged exposure to cold on a specific area of the body. Frostbite is the most common open areas that are not covered by clothes - face, limbs. Do not forget about the general frostbite. As with burns, there are several degrees of injury.

In clinical practice, doctors talk about the following degrees of frostbite:

Grade 1 is characterized by reddening of the skin area that has been exposed to cold, after which the dermis becomes cyanotic and swelling occurs;
Grade 2 is characterized by the formation of blisters with hemorrhagic contents (from light brown to the color of dark chocolate);
At grade 3, the skin becomes cyanotic, and blisters form with bloody contents;
Grade 4 is characterized by complete frostbite of the limbs and skin areas, from which they become black.

Parents should remember that the child cannot independently determine frostbite of the limbs and cheeks. Often, the first symptoms simply go unnoticed. It pinches or pricks the cheeks - it is the frost that “bites”, it's okay. Gradually, the child simply ceases to notice such symptoms. The most common frostbite in children is the nose, ears, cheeks and fingers. Parents should independently control the walking process and, at the first sign of frostbite, complete the walk.

A reaction of redness in the cold is considered completely normal. Therefore, the reddened cheeks of a child in the cold are not frostbite, but an attempt by the body to warm itself with its own forces, namely with blood. When exposed to cold, blood vessels dilate, and blood flow to tissues that are in contact with the environment increases. This is how warming happens.

So, where is the line between frostbite and normal reaction? Pink cheeks are the norm, but if pallor appears on the skin after a blush, then this is clear sign frostbite in a child. The vessels begin to narrow, because the protective and heating forces of the body are already running out. At the same time, the sensitivity of the skin to touch is lost, it becomes hard to the touch.

Parents should urgently take the child to a warm room as soon as pale spots appear on his cheeks and hands. And upon coming home, the most the main task- warm frostbitten areas of the skin and restore blood circulation in them.

Of particular danger is frostbite of the cheeks of the baby, because. the fragile body of the crumbs is not yet able to cope with serious loads and aggressive influence environment. When taking a newborn for a walk in winter, be extremely careful!

What to do with frostbite on the cheeks of a child?

The first thing to do is to undress the child. Ideally, you need to put it in a bath with warm water, it is best if it is 36 - 37 degrees. You can not let the water cool down, its temperature must be gradually increased to 40 degrees. Bath time should be at least 40 minutes.

At this time, it is necessary to additionally do a light massage of the parts of the body that have been most exposed to low temperatures.

Even if the parents only noticed frostbite on the child's cheeks, this does not mean that his legs and arms were not affected. It is necessary to start rubbing from the fingertips of the limbs and only gradually rise up. It is necessary to massage the child's cheeks almost from the ear itself. If the baby complains of pain during such manipulations, then the efforts were not in vain - blood circulation is restored.

Dry your baby thoroughly after taking a bath. terry towel with a long pile, can be rubbed - this will improve blood circulation. After such a bath, the baby needs to be warm, wrapped in a blanket for several hours.

What is strictly prohibited?

It is forbidden to rub frostbitten parts of the body with snow, especially in severe frost. The fact is that snow is ice crystals, which have a rather high degree of abrasiveness, i.e. can easily damage the baby's skin. In addition, additional low-temperature exposure will only worsen the situation.

Do not rub frostbitten skin woolen cloth, can easily injure the surface of the skin. Wool can rip off tissues and leave irritation and even abrasions after exposure.

Prevention measures:

It is necessary to adhere to certain rules that will help to avoid frostbite. It is worth limiting or even postponing walks in very cold and windy weather. Before the baby's walk without fail needs to be fed.
It is necessary to dress the child so that there are layers of air between the clothes, which will help to keep warm.
Parents should carefully choose clothes for their child, which should be not only beautiful and fashionable, but also of high quality. By the way, the last factor is given the greatest preference. Modern practical clothing allows the baby to actively move, but at the same time perfectly retains heat.
Besides quality linen and clothes allow you to absorb the sweat of the baby, which significantly reduces the risk of the formation of not only frostbite, but also various kinds of colds.