Winter Safety Tips

Winter Safety Tips     

Whether winter brings severe storms, light dustings of snow, or just cold temperatures, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some valuable tips on how to keep your children safe and warm.

What to Wear:

The rule of thumb for older babies and young children is to dress them in one more layer of clothing than an adult would wear in the same conditions.

Frostbite:

Frostbite happens when the skin and outer tissues become frozen.  This condition tends to happen on extremities like the fingers, toes, ears, and nose.  They may become pale, gray, and blistered.  At the same time, the child may complain that his/her skin burns or has become numb.

If frostbite occurs, bring the child indoors and place the frostbitten parts of his/her body in warm (not hot) water.  104 degrees Fahrenheit is recommended.  Warm washcloths may be applied to frostbitten nose, ears, and lips.  Do not rub the frozen areas.

After a few minutes, dry and cover him/her with clothing or blankets.  Give him/her something warm to drink.

If the numbness continues for more than a few minutes, call your doctor.

Winter Health

If your child suffers from winter nosebleeds, try using a cold air humidifier in the child's room at night.  Saline nose drops may help keep tissues moist.

Cold weather does not cause colds or flu.  But, the viruses that cause colds and flu tend to be more common in the winter, when children are in school and are in closer contact with each other.  Frequent hand washing and teaching your child to sneeze or cough into the bend of his/her elbow may help reduce the spread of cold and flu germs.

Children should get the influenza vaccine to reduce their risk of catching the flu.

Hypothermia

Hypothermia develops when a child's temperature falls below normal due to exposure to cold.  It often happens when a youngster is playing outdoors in extremely cold weather without wearing proper clothing.

As hypothermia sets in, the child may shiver and become lethargic and clumsy.  His/her speech may become slurred and his/her body temperature will decline.

If you suspect your child is hypothermic, call 911 at once.  Until help arrives, take the child indoors, remove any wet clothing, and wrap him/her in blankets or warm clothes.