All in the Family: Sledding injuries and how to prevent them

Over the river and through the woods, on bobsleds kids will go. They don't know the way to steer their sleigh through the white and drifted snow, Ouch! Over the moguls, and into the brush, oh how those branches hurt! They smack the nose, and break our toes, as over the ground we go, ouch! This new round of arctic air and fresh fallen snow makes many kids want to head to the mountains. And if no mountains are to be found, the backyard hill will suffice

Sledding is rarely thought of as dangerous, but accidents are common, sometimes serious, and occasionally fatal. Thousands of kids end up in emergency rooms annually due to sledding accidents, and half of these involve head injuries. Sledding may seem safer than other winter sports, but sledders are actually more likely to be injured in collisions than skiers or snowboarders.

Help reduce the risk of head and facial injuries by teaching kids to sit with feet forward facing rather than riding backward, standing up, or lying down head first.

Inspect hills for trees, fences, rocks, snowmen, and other objects before waving the checkered flag. Do not let kids sled down hills that end in parking lots, driveways, streets, or water. Avoid very steep hills, or those that end abruptly in snow banks or walls. Kids should not sled after dark or in poorly lit areas.

Teach kids to roll off sleds if they are headed for obstacles or if they are unable to steer away from an inevitable collision.

After reaching the bottom in one piece, kids should not try to dodge oncoming sledders by walking back up the middle of the hill. Instead, discourage the moving target idea by teaching them to walk up the side.

Tell kids not to pile friends on top of each other, perform pyramids, or connect sleds to each other when going down. This increases the risk of collisions and impact injuries.

Sledding is a winter sport, which to the surprise of some kids means weather conditions will be cold. Have kids wear appropriate clothes. Not only will this protect them from frostbite but more importantly will keep them outdoors a little longer. Kids should avoid wearing long scarves or clothing that may potentially get caught under a sled and cause neck injury or strangulation.

One of the safest ways to protect kids from head injuries is to have them wear helmets while sledding. Before dismissing this suggestion, just consider the combination of a fearless child, a wicked fast sled, and limited ability to steer away from scattered hard objects. Suddenly helmets don't seem so crazy.

Help kids understand that sledding is a different activity than the luge, and the two should not be confused. Discourage racing, making moguls or jumps, or creating ice paths to slide down. It is difficult to steer or stop on icy surfaces, and even more difficult to avoid colliding with trees or obstacles.

' Ann-Marie Berg is a Cedar Rapids mom and pediatric nurse practitioner. Write to her at features@sourcemedia.net.