WASHINGTON – When temperatures dip into the single digits, everyone needs to take extra care to protect themselves and their children from the cold.
Dr. Erik Schobitz, a Pediatric Emergency Department physician at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Center, offered some recommendations.
Schobitz referred to the acronym COLD Cover, Overexertion, Layers and Dry) to keep children, in particular, safe.
Firstly, he said to make sure to cover kids with a hat.
“You know, the majority of the heat you lose is from your head. Little kids, especially babies, they don’t have very thick hair. And older adults – the same thing. When they’re losing their hair, put a hat on,” Schobitz said.
He also said mittens were a better choice than gloves for children, as they’re more effective for keeping in heat.
Schobitz said in such cold temperatures, you should avoid overexertion and any activities that cause you to sweat a lot.
As for layers, loose-fitting layers are good choices with water-resistant outer garments.
The final piece of advice Schobitz offered was simply to keep dry.
If children are home and want to play outside, Schobitz said parents need to keep an eye out for shivering.
“If your child is starting to shiver, they need to come inside … People can survive out in Minnesota and Montana, where it’s arctic-bitter cold, because they are used to it and they dress their children well,” Schobitz said.
He added that kids should always have one extra layer, more than adults, to keep warm.
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