The American Academy of Pediatrics is a great resource when it comes to keeping your children safe during the frigid winter months.

Officials note in an online publication that while adults can actively seek help during extreme heat and cold, children cannot. They depend on the adults in their lives to get them the assistance they need.

They note that because of their unique physiology, children are more susceptible to temperature extremes and their health effects. Children are less able to regulate their body temperature compared with adults.

As a result, children are more likely to develop significant health effects when they are exposed to environmental temperature extremes. These extremes result from natural or manmade causes. Natural causes include heat waves, unseasonably cold weather, and winter storms.

Manmade events can result from inadequate home heating or cooling, extended exposure to temperature extremes without proper gear, and overheated indoor environments, such as automobiles.

The following steps can help to prevent cold extremes and their consequences:

• Wear proper cold-weather gear.
• Avoid severe cold.
• Find alternate shelter if the home or residence has lost its heat.
• Use safe indoor heating sources. Ensure that all stoves and fireplaces are adequately vented, do not use charcoal indoors, and do not use gasoline or diesel generators indoors or outside near an open window or vent that could bring in fumes. Access Prevent Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning and Winter Weather: Indoor Safety for more tips on safe indoor heating.

 

(Photo-Shellyn Leeper Photography)