How can we make sure sledding stays fun?

During a typical winter season, our pediatric emergency department cares for dozens of children injured while sledding, snow tubing and tobogganing,” says Darshan Patel, MD, Chief of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth). “These injuries range from severe bruises and broken bones to facial injuries, fractured skulls and brain trauma.” But don’t skip the winter weather fun with your kids! Instead, Dr. Patel recommends following a few, easy safety measures:

• Keep sledders away from motor vehicles
• Always supervise your children while sledding
• Keep young children separated from older children
• Sled feet-first or sitting up
• Have your child wear a helmet
• Use steerable sleds
• Avoid sledding in crowded areas
• Only use sleds that are structurally sound and free of sharp edges
• Only sled where slopes are free of obstructions like trees or fences, are completely covered in snow and have a slope of less than 30 degrees, with a flat runoff