Supervision Equals Safety This Winter Season

The first day of winter—are you enjoying the beautiful snow outside? From sledding to skiing, snowmobiling to ice skating, children find lots to do when the snow starts to fall. Be sure that this is a wonderful, active and fun time with your kids—check these tips to make sure it’s a safe one as well:



Winter Drowning

Most parents associate drowning with summer months, but the increased use of hot tubs and whirlpools and the danger of hidden bodies of water and weak ice make winter drownings a risk as well. To minimize drowning dangers, parents and caregivers should:

• Supervise children in or near a pool, a hot tub or any body of water.
• Make sure pools and spas are secure. If you have a pool or spa, install four-sided isolation fencing that is at least 5 feet high. The fence should have a self-closing and self-latching gate. Do not use the exterior of the house as one side of the fence.
• Allow children to skate only on ponds or lakes that have been approved for skating.

Frostbite

Exposure to cold without adequate protection can result in frostbite. Parents can protect their children by following these precautions:

• Dress children warmly. Several thin layers will help keep children dry as well as warm. Clothing should consist of thermal long johns, turtlenecks, one or two shirts, pants, sweater, coat, warm socks, boots, gloves or mittens, and a hat.
• Set reasonable time limits on outdoor play. Call children in periodically to warm up with drinks such as hot chocolate.
• When possible, avoid taking infants outdoors when it is colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Infants lose body heat quickly.

If a child complains of numbness or pain in the fingers, toes, nose, cheeks or ears while playing in the snow, or if his skin is blistered, hard to the touch or glossy, be alerted to the possibility of frostbite and take the following steps:

• Take the child indoors.
• Call a doctor.
• Tell the child to wiggle the affected body part(s) to increase blood supply to that area.
• Warm the frozen part(s) against the body. Hold fingers to the chest, for example.
• Immerse frozen part(s) in warm, not hot, water. Frozen tissue is fragile and can be damaged easily. Avoid warming with high heat from radiators, fireplaces or stoves, and avoid rubbing or breaking blisters.
Ice Skating

Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. Check for signs posted by local police or recreation departments, or call your local police department to find out which areas have been approved. Children should be taught to:

• Skate in the same direction as the crowd.
• Avoid darting across the ice.
• Never skate alone.
• Never go out on ice that an adult has not approved.
• Throw away chewing gum or candy before skating.
• Stretch their arms over the ice and kick as if swimming to crawl back onto solid ice is they fall through.

Sledding

• Make sure terrain is free of obstacles and far from traffic. Children should sled on packed snow (not ice) that is free of debris. Check carefully for snow-covered hazards such as rocks, tree limbs and stumps that could endanger sledders or skiers.
• Use equipment that is sturdy and safely constructed. Avoid equipment with sharp and jagged edges.
• Ensure sleds and toboggans have steering devices that work easily and don’t jam.
• Never ride in a sled pulled by a motorized vehicle.


Snow Skiing and Snowboarding

• Enroll in at least one skiing or snowboarding lesson to start off on the right track.
• Use caution when entering and exiting the ski lift. Be aware of other people on the slope
• Do not ski out of control or go too fast.
• Wear a ski helmet and eye protection.
• Wear sun protection, even on cloudy days.
• Never ski alone. Young children should always be supervised by an adult.

Snowmobiling

Snowmobiles can weigh up to 600 pounds and travel at speeds in excess of 90 mph. Head injuries are the leading cause of snowmobile-related deaths. The American Academy of Pediatrics has stated that operating snowmobiles is inappropriate for children under age 16. If a child is riding as a passenger on a snowmobile, be sure he is wearing an approved helmet. Children ages 5 and under should never ride on snowmobiles.