Northern Light Pediatrics-Newsletter

Keep kids safe during winter activities

Some of you child's most memorable snow-filled winters will involve skates, sleds, skis or snowboards. Help ensure a safe season with these tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Ice Skating
Allow children to skate only on approved surfaces. If signs are not posted by local police or recreation departments, call the police department to find out which areas have been approved.

Advise your child to skate in the same direction as the crowd; avoid darting across the ice; never skate alone; and avoid chewing gum or eating candy while skating.

Sledding
Keep sledders away from motor vehicles and overcrowded areas. Supervise children and segregate them from older kids. It's safer to sled feet first or sitting up, rather than lying down headfirst.

In addition, use steerable sleds, not snow disks or inner tubes. Check that the sleds are structurally sound and free of sharp edges and splinters, and the steering mechanism is well-lubricated. Also, ensure the sled slopes are free of obstructions, covered in snow and not ice, not too steep (slope of less than 30º), and that they end with a flat runoff.

Snow skiing, snowboarding
Children should be taught to ski or snowboard by a qualified instructor in a program designed for children. Never allow them to ski or snowboard alone. Young children always should be supervised by an adult; older children's need for adult supervision depends on their maturity and skill.
If they are not with an adult, then a friend should accompany them.
The Academy does not recommend snowboarding for children younger than age 7.

Consider having your child wear a helmet. In addition, equipment should fit the child. Skiers should wear safety bindings that are adjusted at least every year, and snowboarders need gloves with built-in wrist guards. Choose slopes that fit the ability and experience of the skier or snowboarder, avoiding slopes that are overcrowded.

Snowmobiling
The Academy recommends that children under age 16 not operate snowmobiles and that children under age 6 never ride on snowmobiles.

Other tips: Do not use a snowmobile to pull a sled or skiers. Wear goggles and a safety helmet approved for use on motorized vehicles like motorcycles; travel at safe speeds; never snowmobile alone; and stay on marked trails, away from roads, water, railroads and pedestrians. Finally, never use alcohol or other drugs before or during snowmobiling.

-2006 American Academy of Pediatrics, February of 2006