COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the weather grows dangerously cold, pediatricians are reminding parents to pay attention to what their kids are wearing when they head out the door.
“The colder it gets, the less time a child should stay outside. It’s no different than in the summertime, everything should be in moderation!” said Dr. Chris Peltier, a pediatrician with the American Academy of Pediatrics.
When it comes to keeping kids outside, pediatricians encourage parents to dress their kids in waterproof warm clothes that still allow them to play outside. They’ve categorized the temperatures into red, yellow and green zones.
Green zone: Anywhere above 30 degrees; kids are typically good to play outside in these temperatures so long as they’re dressed appropriately.
Yellow zone: Between 20 and 30 degrees; requires a little more caution but is safe so long as you’re bundled up.
Red zone: Below 20 degrees—and is where things can get dangerous, especially for younger children.
Another thing parents should also keep in mind is car seats. If your child is still in a car seat, those puffy coats can impact their safety.
"We want those snaps to be very snug, which can be very difficult when you think about a typical puffy winter jacket. So one of the things that we worry about is that car seats can’t be fastened quite as securely when there’s a big puffy winter coat" said Dr. Peltier.
For more winter safety tips for kids, click here.