Kids sledding injuries are more likely to happen than in adults who enjoy the activity. A nine-year study proves that 70 percent of the accidents were children.
Nationwide Children's Hospital Center for Injury Research and Policy researchers stated that over 220,000 people got sent to the hospital for injuries. The study from the years 2008 through 2017 and included 220,488 patients.
Kids are more likely to suffer injuries than adults
"Our Quad City" stated that kids were seven times more likely to suffer a sledding-related injury than adults. Sixty-three percent of them were due to collisions, while 47 percent were crash with things in the environment.
Only 16 percent of the injuries were from hitting the ground, and ten percent were caused by colliding with another person. The outlet noted that only seven percent of the injuries were from hitting another sled.
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A head injury is a cause of concern
Senior research associate and co-author of the study, Rebecca McAdams, MA, MPH, noted that kids sledding injuries is a problem. She said that collisions are concerning because it could range from a minor injury to something very serious.
McAdams noted that most accidents involve head injuries, which is extremely scary for moms. Close to 82 percent of kids suffered a head injury because of a sledding accident, so the research team suggests that everyone should wear helmets while playing the activity.
The type of sled could also cause different head injuries. Kids are more at risk of suffering a concussion or CHI when they ride snow tubes and disks. On the other hand, those that ride sleds or toboggans have a lesser chance of getting into accidents.
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While there is an increase in accidents during the cold months, study authors noted that the number of injuries has decreased. They also stated that over 13,000 patients got treated with the said hazard.
Avoid kids sledding injuries by following safety measures
After reporting on the study, "Science Daily" recommended that parents and caregivers should take care of the children's safety. Parents could follow certain tips as provided by the site about how to make sure that everyone enjoys the activity while following the safety measures.
By wearing helmets, removing objects that could pose a danger, and choosing a safer sled could help prevent accidents from occurring. Sleds are fancier, and some come with brakes, so you could easily control them.
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Parents should also check the environment before allowing their kids to sled. And when it is safe, be sure to have plenty of space at the hill end so your children could slow down safely.
"Moms.com" noted that an activity that could get your children hurt need not be stopped. Instead, by being responsible and aware of the possible injuries that your little ones could incur, you could avoid mishaps from happening.
