Hopefully students are safely enjoying winter with some outdoor activity when the weather is tolerable. Some things to keep in mind-
Even though we don’t think about sunburns in the winter, the snow can reflect 85% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays, so children should wear sunscreen if outdoors for long periods. Children should dress in layers. When their gloves or socks get soaking wet, they should come in for dry ones. Waterproof outer layers are best.
Check children, and teach them to check their friends, for cold injury to the skin. Frost nip is the most common, mildest type. Symptoms of this are tingling and numbness of the skin, particularly on exposed areas of the head and on fingers. The skin may be whitish, grayish, or yellowish. The person should be brought in to a warm place and wet clothes removed. Then the chilled areas should be immersed in warm (104-108 degree) - not hot- water until the numbness disappears. Fingers and hands can also be warmed effectively by placing them under the child’s armpit. If the skin does not warm up, or if blisters form, call your health care provider. Frostbite occurs when deeper layers of the body are involved, and emergency care is needed because this is very serious.
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