I think my daughter aged 10 has chilblains

[DarkKarmaIlama]

So after a quick Google and looking at photos I think she may have chilblains. What do you think? She said they’re a bit itchy 😢.

That’s what mine look like.

Yes chilblains have her feet been really cold?

My middle DD had them every winter, no matter what we did. Looks very similar.

Yes it looks like chilblains is she in a heated environment?

Yeah looks like it. Awful things, I was plagued as a kid.

Yes look like mine. Key thing to remember is to avoid quick extreme changes in temperature - it's just as bad to quickly heat them up on a heater as it is to let them get too cold!
Just thought that might be useful as I know lots of people think it's just about the cold!

Yes, definitely. I had them every winter as a child, peaking at age 9/10. I then quickly grew out of them though, so hope it's the same for her.

Hi OP, have a google for covid toe. This is what our GP thinks DS has. His look like chilblains but he's not been subjected to having v cold feet, and they are a bit itchy but not as much as typical chilblains.

GP said they don't need treating and will go down in time. They also don't mean he has covid atm- just that he's had it at some point.

We do have the central heating on (but have cut down and she has said her feet have been cold so she tends to put lots of pairs of socks on). The other day I broke down at the side of the road and we then had a very cold icy walk to school (40 minutes as the RAC had quoted me hours to turn up). I tested her for covid and it came up negative although she has been ill with a cough.

I will keep an eye on them, put some sudocrem on them and make sure they are warm.

Just to reiterate the covid toe rash can appear months after the covid infection itself.

It does look like childblains to me. But I have not seen the covid toe.
Is the covid toe itchy too?

Could be. I've often had icy cold feet but never a chilblain so am no authority on them (others here know more).

Poor little lass.

I googled and this is a straightforward, informative article from the NHS:
www.nhs.uk/conditions/chilblains/

Yes chilblains. My DD has had them every year since she was about 6. She’s now 10. I spend a fortune on thermal boots for her every winter and they always come back no matter what we do… you can get some gel from the pharmacy, but it doesn’t work miracles. They don’t bother my DD that much so we just keep an eye on them until they go away.

Looks like mine that were confirmed by a podiatrist. Was told to keep my feet at a constant temp, no extremes. Been just about managing it - the itching is gone but the sores are still there. :(

I had them as a child
Didn't have them for years but have just moved back to my parents house and I have them again 😂😂
Their house is so cold and then I will sit by a fan heater to walm up
Ahhhrgh

Thanks all. My house definitely isn’t the warmest but we do have the heating on between 4-9pm. She says she’s cold at school as they’ve reduced their heating as well.

You can buy specific chill blain cream and it’s v effective

I have covid toe! Yes, they hurt and they sort of itchy-burn, and can blister as well. Very sore. I don’t know how that compares to normal chilblains. Currently I have it only on the very side of my little toes, and it can be excruciating.
keep feet warm, i moisturise and wear socks to bed as well to sooth the skin.

I never find layers of socks work to keep my feet warm. I'm better with the socks specifically labelled as thermal or a pair of slippers. I wore 2 pairs of socks yesterday, feet were freezing, 1 pair of M&S thin thermal socks today and feet were toasty all day.

I think it's because the concept of layers is that there's a bit of a gap between which gives a layer of air that warms up. You don't get the gap between layers of socks because they're skin tight.

Dc3 had these was diagnosed with raynauds phenomenon about same age. Now has a medication to help with blood flow. Has to wear lots of layers (even in the summer wears socks), fingerless gloves, Hot water bottles etc. May be worth speaking to gp and if you do check nice guidelines (I had to really push for them to be followed becauseits less commonin dc under 12).

@FatAgainItsLettuceTime

Yes she’s had a few pairs on today and her feet were still cold tonight even with the heating on. They had played out today at lunch time and probably been cold since. The only difference just recently is she’s been taking showers and not baths. I know that when my feet are cold a bath is the only thing to finally warm them up. May have to get her to have the odd bath as well as showering.

@thenewaveragebear1983

Yes I did think potentially something to do with covid.

Well thanks all, I shall keep her feet warm (thermals) and keep an eye and if no better a trip to the GP (she says, if I can get her in).

@4yearsandwaiting

Yes I shall definitely be watching closely over the next few days for improvement and then I’ll go from there.

They look like chilblains.

Keep her feet warm and dry. It isn't just getting cold, wet or damp is a problem too. Avoid warming up quickly, so no jumping straight into a hot bath or shower or sitting in front of a fire straight from the cold.

Snow fire ointment is supposed to help too.

Boots do a chilblain cream which helps - I’m about to dig mine out as I have some for the first time in years. Mine feel like mild burns.

I find the key thing is to avoid getting cold in the first place - easier said than done. I have to be disciplined about it. Actions like “oh I don’t need to fetch my slippers, I can stand on this cold bathroom floor in my socks just while I brush my feet” = another chilblain.

Keeping core body temp up is essential too, to stop blood flow being cut off from extremities. So wearing a camisole under clothes or a gilet over, heattech thermals etc.

Sheepskin insoles put into shoes can help too, especially to insulate your feet against child concrete when waiting for buses etc.

I agree, thin layers of socks. Prevent them getting cold in the first place. I find this hard as sometimes the cold is the only way to stop the itching and is quite comforting.