Taking Kids
on the Slopes
It’s great to get the whole family involved with winter sports, but naturally you’ll want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to ensure your kids are as safe as they can be at all times.
Safety Advice For Parents When Skiing With Children
Kids, especially those who are more inexperienced, need to be monitored while they’re skiing. That means checking everything is in order both before, during and after they’re on the slopes.
Some top tips for parents who’re taking their kids with them when skiing or snowboarding include:
Checking their equipment
We’ve already discussed the importance of having the right safety equipment. It’s crucial to check everything your kids are wearing is appropriate. Make sure nothing is damaged, and that everything has been attached properly. Also consider teaching them how to check their own gear as you do so.
Helmets
Make sure your kids are wearing a helmet at all times. While a lot more people are wearing helmets these days (up from 25% of skiers to 70% in just a 10-year period in Canada), some resorts don’t enforce their use.
Familiar routes.
Make sure you take your kids on trails which you know well. You might like to explore new routes, but save this for a time when you won’t be out with the little ones.
Always check the conditions.
Make sure you know roughly what the conditions are going to be like the day you head to the slopes. If bad weather hits halfway through your adventure, you may have to make an emergency stop.
Never let them ski alone
Even if you have older kids, they shouldn’t be allowed to ski or snowboard on their own. It’s important for anyone under the age of 18 to have an adult with them at all times.
Don’t push them too far
If the kids are saying they’re too tired while on the mountain, don’t force them to continue. While it’s okay to push a bit harder in lessons, the same is not true when it comes to the slopes themselves. Going too hard can increase the risk of an accident.
Make sure to keep these tips in mind when you get your kids involved in winter sports. Failing to do so could put your children in a position which sees them get hurt.
What To Do If A Child Gets Injured
It’s every parent’s worst nightmare. But just because you don’t want to think about it, it doesn’t mean an accident won’t happen. It’s important to be prepared for the worst. If your child picks up a nasty injury on the slopes, remember the ABCs of first aid:
Check to see if there’s anything blocking the airways or throat of your child. It’s unlikely in this environment, but still a measure worth taking.
Once you know the airways are actually clear, it’s time to check to see if the child is breathing. If they’re not, carrying out mouth-to-mouth resuscitation will be required. Verse yourself in the process.
If there’s a nasty wound which is bleeding, try applying pressure to it. This should help to contain blood loss and keep a child conscious.
They’re more considerations than actions you need to immediately take. Think about the person’s disability (if they have one) and assess how this is going to impact how they’re moved from the environment they’re in.
Break
Avoid moving the affected arm as much as possible, limit bleeding by applying pressure to the wound with a clean pad or dressing if possible. It’s also advisable not to eat or drink anything in case you need surgery to fix the bone.
Do not put any weight on the injury, apply ice for up to 20 minutes every 2-3 hours and wrap a bandage around the affected area and don’t forget to elevate as much as possible.
Once the required medical checks have been carried out, you’ll want to mark off the area and grab the attention of the rescue services.
Use your skis to alert other people on the slopes there’s been a crash by marking the spot with an upright X. The emergency number for the resort will be included on the piste map. Make sure to have this and a phone with you so you can call for help if you’re in a position which is far from a patrol station. Never leave the child unattended, even to get help.
There may be a need to transport them from the crash if the injury requires medical attention. If this is the case, a ‘blood wagon’ (basically a sled used for transporting injured people off the slope) might be needed to move them from the scene.
This all sounds very scary, but it’s important to remember it’s unlikely to happen if you take the right precautions.
