We've been out in the cold, and now my baby's fingers have turned white. Could this be frostbite?
It could be, but skin goes through a frostnip stage before true frostbite sets in – so if your baby's fingers are just starting to turn white, she's becoming frostnipped. When this happens, bring your baby indoors right away and remove any wet clothes she's wearing.
Hold her close to your body and gently warm her fingers by tucking them under your armpits. Then immerse her fingers in warm, not hot, water – about 104 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 to 41 degrees Celsius). (If you don't have a thermometer, dip your elbow in the water to make sure it's not too hot.)
Don't rub her fingers or use a heating device, like a hair dryer, to warm them, as this can further damage skin tissue.
If your baby's fingers look waxy, stiff, or yellowish or they begin to swell or blister, it means frostbite has set in. Frostbite is actually a freezing of the skin. It's measured in degrees, much the way burns are measured. In its first stages, frostbite affects the outer skin. In the last stage, it reaches deeper into skin tissue, affecting muscle and even bone.
What should I do if I think my baby has frostbite?
Wrap her in a blanket and take her to the emergency room right away. At this point, she's at risk of infection or permanent tissue damage. If you can, wrap the affected areas in a sterile dressing. If your baby's fingers or toes appear frostbitten, wrap them so that they're separated from each other.
Warm your baby slowly on the way to the hospital by gently holding the frostbitten areas (if they're not wrapped) against your warm skin. Once the affected areas begin to thaw, don't let them become frozen again, as severe damage can occur.
Your baby's frostbitten skin may become very red and painful as it warms up. The emergency room health practitioner can give your baby medication to help her feel more comfortable. She'll also check your baby for hypothermia, or a dangerously low body temperature.
Once you've returned home, if your baby develops a fever or the frostbitten areas begin to look discolored or are oozing fluid, take her back to the emergency room or to her doctor right away.
How can I prevent my baby from getting frostbite?
Be vigilant. Your baby will become frostbitten long before you will, partly because infants lose heat from their skin more quickly than adults do (infants have a higher percentage of skin surface compared to body weight).
If you're carrying your baby, she's not moving around enough to generate much body heat, either. And unless she's old enough to talk, she can't tell you about early symptoms, like a "pins and needles" sensation. So don't keep her out in the cold for extended periods of time, and bundle her up for those short neighborhood walks or treks to and from the car. Avoid dressing her in clothing or boots that are too tight, because poor circulation can contribute to frostbite.
When you're outdoors with your baby in cold weather, check her often for signs of frostnip – that telltale whitening of the skin. It usually appears first on the extremities and areas that are most exposed to wind and cold. Check her face, ears, fingers, and toes frequently, even if you think she's wearing plenty of clothing.
Remove wet clothes (like the mittens she's been chewing on) immediately, because moisture draws heat away from the skin. (You may want to carry an extra pair of mittens in the winter months.)
Be particularly cautious on cold, windy days: Wind makes the skin lose heat faster, which increases the risk of hypothermia and frostbite.