redness, warmth--what is your opinion?

Nurses General Nursing

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My daughter (age 11) was playing in the snow for two or three hours yesterday. Last night both her wrists were reddened and warm to the touch, obviously where there had been a gap between her gloves and sleeves, and snow had gotten in. She has been inside for 19 hours now, and it is still there.

I am expecting it to resolve on its own, but my gut feeling tells me to keep her indoors. But she really, really wants to play in the snow! We rarely get snow her, and NEVER like we have it now. Am I being too over-protective?

Ya know....sounds like chafing from the wet material rubbing on her skin...Apply lots of lotion, and keep an eye on it...and if she wants to go play again..try to figure out a way to protect from the rubbing

Specializes in MS Home Health.

I would keep her indoors but you know that won't be the popular response.

Good luck,

renerian

Specializes in ER,Neurology, Endocrinology, Pulmonology.

I used to get this ALL the time when i was a kid ( I was out in the snow every day no matter what weather). It is from the snow and from the cloth rubbing against the skin with a frost bite.

1. get some thick cocoa-butter. Not lotion but thick hard stuff that will not rub off quickly. Apply that for a while.

2. make sure that her wrists are covered with cotton , like long sleaves of a thermal shirt or something. If a wool swater gets wet and rubs against the skin it makes it worse.

I would not worry about keeping her home because of the redness. Just tell her that if she gets wet again, she needs to come and change the gloves/ shirt.

Let her play.

my kids get this sometimes. It passes in a day or two.

-R

Specializes in Home Health.

Yeah let her play. Slather it w lotion and just cover it with something like long sleeves, or cut the foot ends off some socks and put that on her writs between the gloves and the end of her shirt/jacket sleeve.

(Esp since it doesn't snow where you are much!)

Specializes in Geriatrics, LTC.

Oh gosh I remember getting this all the time as a kids...just keep it lotioned up and covered up....is my opinion. :) Enjoy the snow! :D

Thank you all for your responses. She is outside now, having a great time. She will probably never see snow like this again as a child, so I am letting her play in it while she can. I found some mittens that are nearly elbow length, and she has those on over another pair, so that should help. When she comes in and is drying and thawing ;), I will put the lotion on. Thanks again!

Melissa

Sometimes my kids stay out there so long they are wet and cold and literally frozen.

I strip them down, have them put some sweats on and let them drink hot cocoa by the fire. You should hear them sitting there talking about wiping out on the sledding hill or getting hit by a big snowball.

Thats what being a kid is all about.

-Russell

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

COCOA butter and FRESH AIR and DRY clothes...she should be fine.

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