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For Patients & Families:
Winter Safety
Image Whether sledding, skating, building snowmen or making snow angels, children love to play outdoors in the winter weather. With these basic winter safety tips, your child can enjoy a safe and fun winter.

Dress smart

  • Dress your child in several warm layers of clothes.
  • Pay attention to the National Weather Service's winter weather advisories regarding wind chill and rain. If it is damp or windy outside, hypothermia - which occurs when body temperature drops drastically below normal - can occur in temperatures as warm as 50 degrees.
  • Set reasonable time limits on how long your children can play outdoors. Base these limits on weather conditions.
  • Dress your children in bright colors if they are playing or walking outdoors in snowy conditions.
  • Keep infants inside if it is colder than 40 degrees. Babies lose body heat faster than children and adults.
Use Caution Near Ice
Although it's tempting for kids to play or skate on a frozen pond, it's important that they never go on or near frozen water unless they have an adult's approval.
  • Have an adult supervise children when they play near frozen lakes or ponds.
  • Only allow children to venture out or skate on lakes and ponds that have been approved for skating. Look for signs posted by the police or recreation department saying that the ice is safe.
  • Never assume that the ice on a frozen pond or lake will hold even a child's weight. Even if the ice is strong in one area, it might be unsafe in another spot Avoid dark ice or honeycombed ice (ice that has air bubbles or snow crystals trapped in it), which is weaker and may break under a child's weight. Ice on moving water, such as rivers and streams, is never safe.

If someone falls through the ice, it's important to act quickly. The lower the temperature of the water, the faster hypothermia will set in.

  • Call 911
  • Don't go out on the ice after them. You may fall in, too, and be unable to make a rescue or get yourself out.
  • Stay anchored on dry land and try to reach the person with a branch, rope or other sturdy item
  • Throw something that will float to them.
  • Tell the person in the water to spread their arms and hands out on the unbroken ice and kick their feet to help them keep their head above water and conserve energy.
Keep Clear of Snowblowers
  • Teach children that only adults should use snowblowers. Children can become seriously injured or killed by being caught in snowblowing machines.
  • Never try to clear snow or debris from the machine while it is still running. Always stop the engine first.
  • Never leave the machine running in an enclosed area. Carbon monoxide poisoning from leaving the engine running in an area such as a garage can cause deaths.
Sled Safely
Sledding is a great way to have fun in the snow, but being careful is essential. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, approximately 46,000 sledding injuries are seen in hospital emergency rooms every year. Most are children under the age of 15 with head injuries.
  • Choose a hill for your children to sled on that is away from trees, rocks and other obstacles.
  • Make sure there is no street traffic or frozen water anywhere near the bottom of the sledding hill - a sled may not always come to a stop exactly where you want it to.
  • Check your child's sled to make sure it is in good condition with secure handholds and steering that works.
  • Tell your child to never ride on a sled that is being pulled by a car or snowmobile.
  • Remind your child to always sled while sitting up with his feet forward. Lying on a sled increases the chance of head injuries.
  • Have your child wear a helmet while sledding.
Prevent Winter Sports Injuries
  • Children should wear helmets and eye protection while skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling.
  • Make sure your child's helmet is specifically designed for the activity he is participating in. Helmets should be well-fitted to prevent shifting or jostling of the helmet.
  • Make sure children know to stay on marked trails while skiing, snowboarding or snowmobiling.
  • According to recommendations from the American Pediatric Association, children under 16 years old should never operate snowmobiles. Children younger than 5 should never ride on a snowmobile, even with an adult.
Keep Free from Frostbite and Hypothermia
Children are more susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia than adults. Be aware of the symptoms and know how to treat your child if either occurs.
Frostbite is when soft tissue, usually in fingers or toes, freezes. There are several stages of frostbite. If severe enough, frostbite can require amputation, but most often no permanent damage will occur if skin is warmed up carefully.

Symptoms:

  • Numbness
  • Blisters
  • Soft or frozen doughy feeling to exposed skin
  • Tingling and burning of frostbitten area upon re-warming
  • Aching or throbbing pain upon re-warming
  • Redness, swelling upon re-warming
  • Blackness
    • What to do:
    If a child complains of numbness or pain in her fingers, toes, nose, cheeks or ears while playing outdoors, check to see if her skin is blistered, hard to the touch, or glossy. If so:
  • Have her come inside immediately.
  • Have the child move the numb part of her body to increase blood supply.
  • Do not rub the skin to warm it up, as this can cause tissue damage.
  • Immerse the frozen skin in warm water. (Make sure the water is warm but never hot so the tissue isn't further damaged.
  • Get medical help if the area stays numb after warming.

    Hypothermia occurs when too much heat escapes from the body and body temperature drops lower than its normal 98.6° F to 95° F or lower. While severe hypothermia can cause internal organ damage or lead to death, it is generally not something to be concerned about unless a person is trapped outdoors or in cold water for an extended period of time without proper protection.

    Symptoms:

  • Shivering
  • Numbness
  • Muscle weakness
  • Drowsiness
  • Incoherence
  • Lowered body temperature
  • Slow pulse

    What to do:

  • Call 911 for help.
  • Bring your child to a warm place.
  • Wrap your child in blankets to retain body heat.
  • Don't expose your child to any direct heat sources like hot water bottles, heating pads, radiators or fireplaces.
    • Why Winter Safety is Important
    Winter can be a fun season for children, but hospital emergency rooms and their doctors see too many children with head injuries, broken bones and other serious winter injuries.

    According to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign:

    • In 2004, nearly 12,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for sledding-related injuries.
    • In 2004, nearly 1,500 children ages 14 and under were treated for snowmobile-related injuries.
    • In 2004, nearly 11,000 children ages 5 to 14 were treated in hospital emergency rooms for snow skiing-related injuries and nearly 21,000 for snowboarding-related injuries.
    • Approximately 22 percent of ski and snowboard head injuries are serious enough to cause loss of consciousness or a concussion.
    According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission:
    • Each year there are approximately 5,740 emergency room visits due to snowthrower-related injuries.
    Don't let your child be a statistic. Avoid visits to your local emergency room by helping your child stay safe while having fun during the winter.
    Source: Children's Hospital Boston Injury Prevention Program.

    Please keep in mind that the text provided is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, examination, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment or making any changes to existing treatment.

    Children's Hospital Boston©, 2005. This page may be reproduced for educational purposes. Reprint permission is required for all other uses.

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