When temperatures turn cold, it's important to help your child stay active. However, snow, cold temperatures and ice all present safety concerns for your child. By teaching children the proper safety precautions and carefully observing them during the icy season, you can help to prevent injuries.
Identification
Winter safety hazards can revolve around icy conditions: slick roads, areas of black ice, snow and icy ponds, according to Kids Health. While cold-weather activities are a good way for your child to exercise, activities such as ice skating, sledding, snowboarding and skiing all can pose a hazard. This makes supervising your children at all times the highest priority.
Safety Gear
A hat, coat, gloves and scarf are necessary for bundling up your child before going outside. Layering with natural fibers such as cotton and wool will provide your child with breathable fabrics. When engaging in winter activities, it is a good idea to provide boots, goggles and/or a helmet when riding a snowmobile, skiing, sledding, snowboarding or performing other winter activities that involve a head injury risk, according to Keep Kids Healthy. Wearing a helmet when skiing or snowboarding has been shown to reduce the risk of head injuries by 50 percent, according to the University of Michigan Health System.
Misconceptions
Just because the sun may not be visible in the winter does not mean your child is not subject to its harmful rays, according to the University of Michigan Health System. This is particularly true of areas that are snow-covered, which can reflect up to 80 percent of the sun's rays. For this reason, applying a sunscreen that contains a sun protection factor of 15 or more in order to prevent sunburn is recommended.
Prevention
Inspect all areas where your child will be playing or engaging in winter sports, according to the State Emergency Management Office. In addition to your personal inspection, areas should be marked as approved for skating, skiing and other winter sports. Supervise your child at all times. Taking your eyes away for even a moment could result in a delayed response in providing help. Be aware of the signs your child may be suffering from hypothermia. These include difficulty concentrating, slurred speech, unexplained sleepiness, exhaustion and uncontrollable shivering. Limiting the time your child is outdoors also may help to reduce the risk of frostbite, according to Children's Memorial Hospital.
Warning
If your child seems to be exhibiting signs of winter-related conditions--such as frostbite, where your child may complain that his skin is burning, or hypothermia, where she cannot seem to feel warm--seek immediate medical attention, according to Children's Memorial Hospital. Attempt to provide your child with dry clothing, warm blankets and reheat the skin using warm--but not hot--compresses until medical help arrives.
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