Heavy snow hit the Greater Toronto Area this week and it’s the perfect time to embrace the winter wonderland, while keeping a few safety guidelines in mind.
Dr. April Kam, head of pediatric emergency medicine at McMaster Children’s Hospital in the Hamilton, spoke to the Star on how parents can best prepare their child for outdoor play this winter, as well as tips on preventing injuries and frostbite.
Screen time has become a concern for many parents and Kam believes winter activity is crucial for children. In 2014, the Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) released a statement on how essential “risky play” can be for development at a young age.
“(It’s) emphasizing that play outside, physical play, is good for physical health, mental health, social health,” said Kam. “It also teaches kids in some ways, through play, of navigating risk in a relatively safe way … it helps with prevention of behavioural issues, anxiety, obesity, et cetera, just by keeping active.”
How to dress for outdoor play
Wearing several layers of clothing is key, said Kam. That includes wearing a hat as you can lose a lot of body heat through your head, making sure to keep your ears covered and wearing mittens instead of gloves.
Mittens are better so fingers can be bunched together, as skin-to-skin contact is more effective at preserving heat, Kam said.
Waterproof boots are also recommended in a size that’s large enough to wear light socks.
For younger kids, it’s key to remove drawstrings from clothing that could get caught during play. A neck warmer instead of a scarf and mitten clips instead of a string are also suggested to prevent the risk of choking for toddlers.
Injury prevention tips for winter activities
For winter activities like skiing, skating and tobogganing, Kam recommends wearing a helmet. Ski or hockey helmets are good for sledding but bicycle helmets are not advised.
Bicycle helmets are only tested up to -10 C and need to be replaced after one crash.
“We see that pretty often actually… people getting into toboggans and … getting head injuries,” said Kam.
Sledding during the day is recommended. It’s also advised not to sled on or near roadways and on slopes that are free from trees, fences and other obstacles.
According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, children under the age of five should never go down a hill alone.
For parents, however, health experts say it’s important to take things easy while shovelling snow, adding that it’s not uncommon to see a rise in the number of heart attack deaths during winter.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation recommends stretching and warming up before shovelling, staying hydrated, and trying to tackle the snow while it’s fresh rather than waiting until it is frozen, harder and heavier.
Keeping an eye on frostbite
Early signs of frostbite typically appear on your cheeks, ears, nose, fingers and toes, which is why it’s important to make sure all those areas are covered, said Kam.
Skin will likely become red and swollen at first, accompanied by a stinging or burning feeling. If the skin is white, waxy or feels numb, you should seek urgent medical care.
“Babies and toddlers are more at risk in the sense that they don’t move as much and then they can’t tell us,” Kam said.
Once indoors Kam said it’s important to immediately remove wet clothing and boots.
If there’s a risk of frostbite Kam recommends soaking the affected areas in warm water (not hot) or tucking your fingers into your armpits to warm them up.
“Don’t use heating pads or fire and don’t rub the skin as well,” said Kam. “You can also drink a warm beverage.”
Despite being associated with hot and sunny weather, sunscreen is highly recommended during winter activities — even when it’s cloudy.
When is it too cold to play outside?
The Canadian Paediatric Society’s website recommends keeping kids indoors when the temperature or the wind chill is reported to be -27 C or lower. Exposed skin will often begin to freeze around that temperature.
When it’s not as cold, Kam recommends checking in frequently to make sure kids are warm and dry and taking regular breaks to go inside and warm up.
“I don’t know that I have like a specific time period per se, but just sort of constantly checking on them and being aware,” said Kam.
