Unfortunately, the snowman had been standing for some time, and unbeknownst to the family, it had hardened into ice in the previous few days. When the sled struck the snowman, Levi hit his head on the base and sustained a concussion. At first Levi appeared stable and comfortable, but soon his condition deteriorated. “Initially, he was hurt but consolable,” Dr. Stepanovich told Everyday Health. “We took him into the house, and then he became lethargic and not as responsive.” Stepanovich and his wife, Gretchen, took Levi to the hospital where he was diagnosed with a concussion. He was observed overnight and able to go back home in the morning. “Luckily, everything turned out very well,” Stepanovich said. “After some weeks of activity modification, he was cleared to get back to everything, and fortunately, we have not had any subsequent issues.”
Hidden Safety Risks of Sledding
Like many parents, Stepanovich did not think sledding posed much of a safety risk to his young boys. “It was a big learning experience for our family that something as benign as an old snowman could cause such a concerning injury,” he said. Now Stepanovich’s sons always wear helmets when sledding, and he encourages other families to have their children do the same. The American Academy of Pediatrics also advises parents to have children wear helmets while sledding. But according to a new report by C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, only one-third of parents say their child wears a helmet during this beloved winter activity. “Because sledding is so common, parents may overlook safety concerns,” the authors of the report write. “Most important is the hill where the child will be sledding. Parents should not allow children to sled where the hill ends in a street, parking lot, pond, or fence; instead, the bottom of the hill should have a flat runoff area with sufficient room for the sled to slow down.” Children also should not sled on a hill where there are trees, rocks, or other objects that might cause a collision, they advise. The steepness of the hill should be appropriate for the child’s age and experience, and parents should check for ice, which can make sleds spin out of control or overturn.
Safety Concerns During Other Winter Sports
Popular winter sports like downhill skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling are fun ways for kids to get in some physical activity, but they also come with a number of risks parents should be aware of. Stepanovich, who is a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Michigan Medicine in Ann Arbor, says when it comes to these winter sports, the most common injuries he sees in his patients are extremity fractures. “With skiing and snowboarding, falls on the wrist are common,” he said. “I’ve treated wrist fractures, clavicle or collarbone fractures, pretty severe lower extremity fractures, and pelvic fractures.” Head injuries also occur. More than 23,500 concussions result from winter sports every year, a third of them among children, according to the Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania. Although the majority of brain injuries occur during skiing or snowboarding, they can happen during any winter sport, including skating or hockey. Concussions are the leading cause of death and disability among skiers and snowboarders. That’s something Kevin Pearce knows all too well. The former professional snowboarder was at the height of his career in 2009. While training for the Olympic trials, he had a fall in Park City, Utah, that resulted in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). The injury not only took Pearce out of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver (in which he was a favorite to win) but dramatically changed his life. “Everything was completely flipped upside down,” he said. “I went from being this rock star snowboarder to needing to relearn how to walk and talk. I had to restart my life again.” After months of rehab, Pearce was able to snowboard, 712 days after his injury. He now is a motivational speaker, an advocate for brain injury and Down syndrome, and a founder of the Love Your Brain Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving quality of life for people with TBI. He encourages everyone to wear a helmet while participating in winter sports. “To me, it’s like wearing a seat belt,” he says. “It’s an absolute no-brainer. Wearing a helmet saved my life. Without it, it would have been game over for me. With the Love Your Brain Foundation, we want to get that message out and help make helmets more accessible to people.”
How to Keep Your Child Safe During Winter Sports
The risk of injury should not be a deterrent for kids to partake in winter sports. Rather, parents should be aware of safety concerns and take the appropriate steps to protect their kids. Pearce, who is a new dad, says if his 1-and-a-half-year-old daughter, Anne Marie, ever wants to take up snowboarding or another winter sport, he would encourage it, as long as she was safe. “I want to give her the decisions and let her choose what she really enjoys doing, but then I’m going to make sure that she can be safe and smart,” he said. “I’m not going to let her go snowboarding without a helmet on or let her do things that aren’t smart.” In addition to head protection, there are a number of steps you can take to keep your child safe. “Depending on the type of activity, you can have appropriate or inappropriate equipment,” Stepanovich said. “So if it’s skiing, make sure the ski boots are the right size and fit correctly; and if it’s snowboarding or snowmobiling, make sure that whatever equipment is associated with that activity is appropriate and fits them.” There’s also the elements to consider. “In the winter, low temperatures are a concern,” Stepanovich said. “Frostbite is a real thing, so make sure your child’s skin is protected.” And perhaps most importantly, always supervise your children. “With these sports, whether it’s sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling, participants can gain a lot of speed and really injure themselves,” Stepanovich said. “So it’s being aware of that and taking a step back and looking at the environment that they’re going to be doing that activity in and making sure there are no obstacles.”
Know the Signs of a Concussion
If your child does take a fall, it’s important to watch for the signs of a concussion. These include:
ConfusionHeadacheNauseaDouble or blurry visionNausea or vomitingMemory lossRinging in earsDifficulty concentratingSensitivity to lightLoss of smell or tasteTrouble falling asleep
Infants and toddlers who have a concussion may stop nursing or eating foods they would normally enjoy. Young children may also stop playing with toys, appear listless, cry excessively, or become less steady on their feet. Anyone who has had a head injury and experiences a headache or other symptoms should consult with a doctor within one or two days. If your child shows any of the following signs after a blow to the head, take them to the emergency room right away.
Headache that gets worse and does not go awayWeakness, numbness, or decreased coordinationRepeated vomiting or nauseaSlurred speechLooks very drowsy or cannot stay awakeHas one pupil (the black part in the middle of the eye) larger than the otherHas convulsions or seizuresCannot recognize people or placesGets more and more confused, restless, or agitatedHas unusual behaviorLoses consciousnessWill not stop crying and is inconsolableWill not nurse or eat
