Louisville doctors warn of rising cold-weather injuries in children across Kentuckiana

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Cold temperatures are here to stay in Kentuckiana, and doctors at Norton Women's and Children's Hospital said they've seen an increase in cold and snow related injuries.

Chunks of ice floating down the Ohio River is a pretty good indication it's cold outside. When you're out in weather like this, knowing when to go inside is something doctors at Norton Children's Hospital said is key, especially for kids.

"Set a time limit because children are going to be excited to want to be outside and they might have difficulty telling you 'I'm cold, my hands hurt,' something like that," Norton Children’s emergency medicine doctor, Dr. Naomi Warnick, said.

Knowing the difference between hypothermia and frostbite is also important. Signs of severe hypothermia can be having an altered mental state, a low heart rate or getting tired. Severe frostbite looks like blistering or discolored skin.

"If there's any symptoms like confusion, unresponsiveness, blistering with the frostbite that's when we need to see you pretty urgently in the emergency department," Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency medicine medical director, Dr. Thomas Cunningham, said.

You can treat mild hypothermia and frostbite at home by removing all wet clothing and slowly rewarming your body with lukewarm water. You do want to avoid using boiling water or a heating pad since your skin won't be able to tell how hot the water or pad is actually getting.

Norton Children's doctors said they've also seen an increase in sled-related injuries this week, including several broken legs.

"Make sure you can see the bottom of the hill, make sure there's not a fence that you're going to hit or a road that you're going to sled into at the bottom of the hill," Dr. Warnick said.

Doctors have also seen an increase in asthma-related visits since the cold aggravates asthma.

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