Blog: Winter Sports Safety
Posted by:
Lindsay Hansen
at Jan 17, 2012 12:00 AM CST
Keywords:
Education
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Hot chocolate, sledding, snowmen, icicles, snowball fights—oh, to be a kid again!
If we as adults harnessed just a fraction of the sheer anticipation, enthusiasm, and delight that children have for the winter season, winter would come and go much more quickly, for us adults.
Regardless of how you feel about old man winter, one thing is for certain: taking certain safety precautions can help reduce the risk of serious injuries and emergencies to children. Thousands of preventable injuries occur each year to children while sledding, skiing, snowboarding, and skating. So adopting a preventative, proactive mindset is smart.
Playing it safe in the wintertime begins with adequate hydration before and after play; providing proper clothing, safety gear and sun screen; and having your child come indoors periodically to warm up (hot chocolate with mini marshmallows? yes, please!) to prevent hypothermia or frostbite.
Another important consideration is helmet usage for your child. Approximately 2 out of 5 traumatic brain injuries among children are related to sports or recreational play. Studies show that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of blows to the brain. So we at Safe Kids USA recommend that children always wear helmets when sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or playing ice hockey.
Now, before I release you into the great outdoors—because I know you are itching to make some snow angels—here are a few additional tips to keep your kids safe this winter.
Stay Hydrated
Encourage your child to drink fluids (water is a great option) before, during and after play in order to stay fully hydrated. Below are some general guidelines to prevent dehydration:
- Before play: Drink 12 ounces of fluid 30 minutes beforehand
- During play:
- Children under 90 pounds: Drink 5 ounces every 20 minutes
- Children over 90 pounds: Drink 9 ounces every 20 minutes
- After play: Drink every 20 minutes during the first hour after to make up for fluid loss.
Proper Clothing:
- Dress your child in layers: warm close-fitting clothes; a hat; boots; gloves or mittens that are preferably waterproof, and a scarf, or facemask
- Make sure your child’s scarf is tucked in so that it doesn’t get entangled in lifts, ski poles, or any other gear.
Sun Protection:
Cover your child’s exposed skin with sunscreen to protect their skin from the sunlight, which reflects off the snow.
Safety Gear:
Helmets should always be worn by children when they ski, sled, snowboard, snowmobile, or play field/ice hockey.
- Keep the helmet well-maintained, and it should always be properly fitted to your child’s head. Replace the helmet as soon as it has been hit hard or involved in a crash or impact. Even though there may not be any visible damage to the helmet, it will not effectively absorb the impact of a future crash or may have a hair line crack invisible to the human eye.
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