Keep Kids Safe and Out Of The Emergency Room

NEW HAVEN — Winter play is great fun, but accidents can happen in the blink of a eye. When the first snowstorm hit, the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital emergency department treated several children who had been hurt in sledding accidents.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 63,014 snowboarding injuries were treated in hospital emergency rooms in the United States in 2002. More than 24,998 children were treated for sledding-related injuries in the United States in 2002. Many head injuries can be prevented or reduced their severity simply by wearing a skiing or snowboarding helmet.

These winter safety tips are from Susanne Johnson, advanced practice registered nurse and pediatric trauma coordinator for the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital.

Dress in layers. Layering allows you to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature. For example, dress in polypropylene underwear (top and bottom), which dries quickly, absorbs sweat and keeps you warm. Wear a turtleneck, sweater, jacket, gloves or mittens, and a hat.

Remove drawstrings from children’s clothing to prevent strangulation, and use neck warmers instead of scarves.

Always use appropriate eye protection. Sunglasses or goggles will protect your vision from glare, help you see the terrain better and shield your eyes from flying debris.

Skiing and Snowboarding

Be sure that your equipment is in good condition and your ski or snowboard bindings are adjusted correctly at a local ski shop.

Wear helmets specifically designed for these skiing and snowboarding to prevent head injuries from falls or collisions.

Stay in control so that you can stop or avoid other people or objects.

Tubing is a fast new sport at many ski resorts, but be aware that tubes can reach speeds of up to 50 miles an hour. This sport is not recommended for children under the age of 5, and everyone else should wear a helmet.

Sledding

Sled only in designated areas free of fixed objects such as trees, posts and fences.

Children in these areas should always be supervised by a grownup.

Sit in a forward-facing position on a sled, steering with your feet or a rope tied to the steering handles. No one should sled head-first down a slope.

Do not sled on slopes that end in a street, drop off, parking lot, river, or pond. Children under 12 should wear a helmet.

Use a sled with runners and a steering mechanism, which is safer than toboggans or snow disks.

Sled in well-lighted areas in the evening.

Supplies are limited, but there are still copies available of the Yale-New Haven Children’s Hospital accident prevention book, Now I know Better, Too. Call the Yale-New Haven Call Center, toll-free 888-700-6543.