Have fun and avoid injuries while sledding this winter season!

Dec. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Sledding is a great way to enjoy the winter weather with your children.  Just follow these simple safety rules rules to avoid injuries that will bring your family fun to a quick stop.  

First, dress the part!  Hypothermia and frostbite are real concerns when spending prolonged time in the snow and wind.  Don’t forget that parents and children should wear a winter coat over layers of clothing, hats and gloves, snow pants, a winter coat, waterproof snow boots, and sunscreen.  Scarves should be avoided, as they may get caught in the sled and pose a strangulation hazard.   Also, consider dressing your child in brightly colored clothing that will make it easy for you to identify your child from others, even when they are at the bottom of the hill.  Child safety advocateMichael Pouls adds, “avoid doing anything risky, such as snowboarding, without also wearing a helmet, because over 50% of winter fun injuries are head injuries.”

Second, gear up!  You don’t need much to have fun sledding, other than the sled itself!  Choose a sled for your child that can be steered and that has brakes.  Conversely, do not allow your child to sled down a hill on anything, such as a pool float, that was not specifically manufactured as a snow sled.  Michael Pouls adds, “Monitor your child while he/she is sledding. For example, always make sure your child sits down on the sled, facing forward.  Do not allow your child to stand on a sled, race down the hill face first, or anything else that increases his/her risk of getting injured.”

Third, select a prime sledding location!  The hill itself should be smooth, without trees, bushes, rocks, or any other obstacles that children might crash into.  The bottom of a good sledding hill has a long, flat expanse so there is time to come to a complete stop without fear of gliding onto a road or parking lot.  Michael Pouls warns, “forego hills that are near lakes or ponds, as they pose a potential drowning hazard.”

Don’t forget that once you get started, be courteous of others.  Meaning, children should sled down the center of the hill, get off their sled, then climb back up the hill toward the side – and not back up the path that everyone is sledding down!  

For more child safety tips, log onto www.michaelpouls.info.