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This cute toddler who is a big fan of Disney's Frozen faces a daily battle to stop her body freezing - just like Elsa.

Two-year-old Gracie Hughes has Raynaud's disease, and turns blotchy blue when she is exposed to the cold.

The tot can't go outside to play during winter and can't eat ice cream or cold foods - and even has 'magic' gloves to protect her hands.

Mum Laurie Hughes, 27, said: "When she gets cold, she turns blotchy blue. It starts in her hands then travels up her arms, feet, legs then face.

"She has magic gloves which reflect 95 per cent of the heat back into her body."

She added: "Gracie absolutely loves Frozen and when I noticed that she was a bit like Elsa, she thought it was brilliant."

Gracie's condition means even normal activities such as going outside can become a challenge, and she's not allowed to eat ice cream or have very cold drinks.

She doesn't leave the house without dressing in thermals, several layers, two pairs of socks and a hat and scarf - as well as her special silver gloves.

"The winter months are awful," said Laurie, who takes Gracie's temperature three times a day to check it doesn't drop below 34 degrees centigrade.

"She can't go outside to play and now she is older can't eat ice cream or cold foods because her hands swell when she handles cold things."

"My heating is constantly on, and I have got her a heated blanket that I plug into the cigarette lighter which helps to keep her warm when we're in the car.

"It's also very difficult bathing her - she frequently has a Raynaud's attack when we try and have a bath, so, just simple normal tasks are a real challenge," Laurie said.

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"It's scary. I have had people stop me in the streets to tell me that my baby is wrapped up too much and she would overheat.

"While I want her to be a 'normal' child there are normal things that she just can't do, so it's a balance of letting her do all the other things little girls do but I'm permanently worried about her having an attack."

Gracie, from Barry, South Wales, was diagnosed with Raynaud's a year ago when she was 16 months old - despite Laurie noticing she was often cold and turning blue from birth.

The condition occurs when small blood vessels in the extremities are over-sensitive to changes in temperature, interrupting the blood supply.

During an attack the extremities become first white and dead looking and may then turn blue and finally red and burning when the blood flow is restored.

The condition can cause considerable pain, numbness or tingling.

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Single mum Laurie, who is training to be a hairdresser, said: "The worst I have seen is when her hands went almost black and looked like they were about to drop off.

"I was so worried because I was taking her to the doctor and the hospital but all the tests they were doing were coming back clear.

"They just kept telling me there was nothing wrong but I had a mother's instinct.

"She was finally seen by a rheumatologist at Cardiff Hospital who told me what it was, which was great."

Gracie is now learning to cope with the condition - helped by snow queen Elsa from the animated film Frozen.

Elsa also battles the cold as she tries to quash her superpowers of being able to turn people and objects into ice and snow.

Laurie added: "Gracie's getting to the age now where she doesn't understand why she has to wear gloves all the time so I tell her she's like Elsa and Elsa is special, which cheers her up.

"She loves being like Elsa, just like a real-life queen.

"There might be a day where she grows out of it and I hope that when she's older she can go out there and have a normal life.

"In the meantime it's just about teaching her how to deal with it so she can lead as much of a normal life as possible."

(Image: SWNS)

Liz Bevins, CEO of the RSA (Raynaud's & Scleroderma Association), said: "Raynaud's can affect anyone of any age - babies, young children, adolescents, mature adults and the elderly.

"Cold hands and feet are frequently overlooked, put up with and considered nothing more than a nuisance but if you do suffer from cold extremities frequently, please don't ignore it.

"Some of the above diseases have silent phases, so you have very few symptoms or know no pain until the disease is in it's later stages.

"A few simple tests may be able to diagnose the above conditions much earlier, so we're encouraging you to go to your local GP and discuss any concerns you have, or get in touch with us for further help.

"Those looking after someone with the condition can also experience distress, we are here to help those people who suffer from the condition but also assist their families and carers to get the help and information they need."