Blog: The Wrath of Winter…Staying Safe this Season

Posted by: Lindsay Hansen at Jan 11, 2011 12:00 AM CST

Keywords: Education, Parents, Safety Tips

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The winter season is certainly upon us, and as we all know, when the air gets colder and the snow starts falling, kids head outside to the great outdoors to ski, snowboard, sled, snowmobile and ice skate. While these winter activities provide hours of fun for our children, they also pose risks for injury.

About 250,000 people experience injuries while engaging in winter sports activities. More than one-fifth of these emergency room visits are from children 14 and under. For parents and kids to get the most enjoyment out of the winter sports season, it is important to remember some key safety tips.

Wear a sport-specific helmet!
Dress in layers and wear warm, close-fitting clothes.
Wear sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Wear sunglasses and contacts with UV protection.
Stay hydrated.

In terms of hydration, bear in mind that children can easily become dehydrated while playing sports or engaging in any recreational activity—regardless if the day calls for an ice cream or making snow angels. Just make sure your kids drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after winter play.

To learn more about how you can keep your child safe this winter, visit winter sports safety.

This post was originally posted on the Johnson & Johnson's Blog: JNJ BTW - Our People and Perspectives

Comment on this Blog Post:

Posted by Luann Harkins at: March 21, 2011

I just came across this article and although the winter season is leaving us, we just had snow on the first day of spring in New York. My thoughts are helmets are the best protection for all snow activities, but if the kids are not wearing the helmets, then the Forcefield protective headband is an alternative for them. You can even wear them under a helmet for added protection. Please visit our very informative website at www.force29.com. They are also great for all sports played with no head protection al all.

Posted by Jennifer Ritter at: February 1, 2011

Great information. Following a local sledding tragedy our Safe Kids Coalition created a winter safety curriculum that we now teach in the schools! The staff and students love it! It's called Chill Out for Winter Safety! Have a look! http://www.upnorthlive.com/news/story.aspx?id=571405 http://record-eagle.com/features/x2035757554/Program-reminds-children-to-be-safe