Take Care with Winter Wear
Dressing children for winter is a special task--not only must they be warm, but safe, too. All-knit gloves and mittens, winter jackets, sweatshirts and sweatpants that are safe for adults may pose a serious threat to young children.
Slippery knit mittens or gloves may cause a child to slip off playground equipment. Try to dress your child in gloves and mittens that have plastic or leather on the palms.
Also potentially dangerous to children are jackets or other clothes that have drawstrings, which can catch on playground equipment and school bus doors, entangling the child and causing injury or death. Fortunately, 90 percent of children's clothes sold in the U.S. are now made with alternative closures such as Velcro or with shorter, modified drawstrings that meet national safety guidelines. However, parents should still examine their children's clothes and make changes when necessary. Experts recommend the following measures:
- Remove neck-level drawstrings altogether. Some garments can be modified by adding Velcro or another type of closure.
- On pants, shirts and skirts, check for waist-level drawstrings that can be pulled out completely through one side. To modify, secure the string in its tunnel by sewing a seam at the midpoint of the garment.
- Shorten extra-long, waist-level strings. A drawstring should never extend more than three inches when the garment is expanded to its fullest width.
- Eliminate large knots or toggles at the end of all drawstrings.