Winter Safety Makes Activities Fun – and Safe

from School Health Reporter, Winter 2004

Winter brings the excitement of snow and cold-weather activities, but also dangers that are greatly preventable as kids embark on outdoor activities. The inviting snow draws children to ice-covered lakes and ski slopes each winter, regardless of the frigid temperatures and the risks. Simple precautions can be taken to prevent winter sport tragedies.

Since 2000, The Children’s Hospital emergency department has seen 416 winter sport injuries.

• 31 cases involving ice hockey
• 44 cases involving ice skating
• 283 cases involving skiing and snowboarding
• 51 cases involving sledding and tubing

Ice Skating

In 1999, more than 16,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in emergency rooms for injuries related to ice skating. But with extra care, even children as young as age 4, as long as they are steady walkers, can enjoy the sport.  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 onto the ice.
• If a child falls through the ice, he should stretch his arms over the ice and kick as if swimming, in an attempt to crawl back onto the solid ice.

Sledding

Sledding is another popular winter pastime that can be dangerous if simple safety precautions are not followed.  Parents and caregivers should remember the following tips:

• Make sure terrain is free of obstacles and far from traffic. 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. Avoid makeshift sleds.
• Avoid lying flat on the sled while riding down hill.  Always sit up with feet forward – lying flat increases the chance of head and abdominal injuries.
• Never ride in a sled that is being pulled by a motorized vehicle.

Snow Skiing

Snow skiing is the second leading cause of recreational fatalities in Colorado. Parents can ensure safe skiing and snowboarding for kids by:

• Enroll kids in at least one skiing/snowboarding lesson to start off on the right track.
• Teach children to not ski out of control or go too fast and be aware of other people on the slope.
• Kids and adults should ALWAYS wear helmets. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of brain injury by up to 85 percent.
• Always wear eye protection and sun protection – even on cloudy days. The sun is very intense at high altitudes.

So, whether it’s skating or skiing, sledding or snowboarding, taking a few precautions can make winter sports fun – and safe.