Parents skipping sledding safety lessons
Injuries can happen while sledding, along with other winter recreation
UNDATED (WKBT) – It’s the time of year for winter fun, from hitting the slopes for skiing or snowboarding to hitting the hills for sledding.
However, thousands of people are injured in these popular winter activities every year.
A new national poll from the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital suggests parents may not always consider the risks.
31 percent say when sledding their child wears a helmet always or sometimes.
By comparison, 75 percent say their child wears a helmet skiing or snowboarding.
The poll also found parents were less likely to talk to children about sledding safety compared to other activities.
“Any winter sporting activity, it’s important to wear a helmet. Whether that be skiing, snowboarding, sledding. Traumatic brain injuries can happen. Or a concussion if you were to hit your head during one of those activities. So a helmet is one of the best ways to prevent that,” said Gundersen Health System injury prevention specialist Megan Anderson.
Researchers want to remind you that very young children need to be supervised by an adult at all times during winter sports activities.
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