A wintery mix of snow and freezing rain is expected Sunday night through Monday. Amounts are forecasted to remain relatively low; however, anything that falls will likely result in impacts given the very cold air that will already be in place.

The best thing you can do is to have a plan in place to keep your family safe and warm through this first taste of winter.

Take these tips from MedStar on what a winter weather plan should include:

• Make sure that you have important phone numbers, including your health care providers, pharmacy, and veterinarian.
• Assure you have enough medication for several days on hand.
• If you rely on medical devices in your home, have a backup plan in case you lose power for an extended period of time, such as a backup generator or battery pack and backup oxygen bottles.
• Have a communication plan for your family.
• Know how to get reliable information during the storm.
• Gather supplies in case you need to stay home for several days without power.

Dress Warmly

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. Dress them in layers and cover their heads, hands and feet.
• For the most warmth, dress your little ones in wool instead of cotton. Essential winter items include hats and gloves, as well as sweatshirts or T-shirts that can be layered under overcoats or jackets.
• Blue skin, shivering and a cool chest and stomach are signs that children may be dangerously cold. If you see these signs, take action immediately to get kids out of the cold. Seek immediate medical attention if you're not able to warm the body.

Keep an eye out for signs of hypothermia.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hypothermia, or abnormally low body temperature, "is a dangerous condition that can occur when a person is exposed to extremely cold temperatures." 

Warning signs for adults include:

• Shivering, exhaustion
• Confusion, fumbling hands
• Memory loss, slurred speech drowsiness

Warning signs for infants include:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms.

If the power goes out, be very cautious of carbon monoxide.

During the Texas winter storm in February 2021, Cook Children’s treated 13 patients for carbon monoxide poisoning in one night. 

Here are some tips for keeping your family safe during this time:

• Don’t use anything such as a BBQ grill or propane tank to heat your home.
• Don’t run a vehicle inside of a garage attached to your home.
• Don’t heat your home with a gas oven or stovetop.
• Don’t burn charcoal inside your home.
• Do seek medical attention if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do ensure the carbon monoxide detectors in your home are properly functioning and installed in areas that will wake you if it alarms.
• Do check for local resources, such as warming shelters, to keep your family safe.

Signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can include:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Vomiting
• Upset Stomach
• Chest Pain
• Confusion
• Flu-like symptoms

If you have to travel, have a plan in place to keep yourself and your child safe.

Proper car seat use is one of the most critical ways parents can keep their young children safe when driving during inclement weather conditions. Here are a few safety tips to consider:

• Don’t strap your children into their car seats with their heavy coats on. In a crash, padding from a coat or thick layers will flatten out, leaving room under the car seat harness. This increases the risk of a child slipping through the straps and being thrown from the car seat. Instead, dress your child in thin layers. Once buckled up, slip the coat on backward with the sleeves on the child’s arms. This way, the coat acts as a blanket and doesn’t affect the fit of the harness.
• Give yourself extra time to get where you are going. And don't forget to account for traffic. 

• Pack an emergency bag for your car. It’s a good idea to have blankets, warm clothing, hats, and gloves available in case you become stuck in winter weather. You’ll also want to have nonperishable snacks packed away.
• Avoid overpasses if possible. Plan alternate routes to your destination and avoid high traffic areas when possible.
• Give yourself enough space from the car in front of you to gradually brake. When weather conditions are poor, give yourself double the time it normally takes to come to a complete stop.

Inclement weather may cause many of our primary care offices and specialty clinics to close or delay openings. Click here to view closure updates and delayed openings at our Cook Children's locations.

According to the National Weather Service, storms could begin to impact the Dallas-Fort Worth area from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. A few tornadoes could be strong.

Be sure you have multiple ways to receive warnings and ensure that any weather alerts you receive will wake you up. Damaging winds up to 70 mph is the primary hazard.

So what does this mean for you and your family?

Outdoor activities may need to be put on hold --- and you need to have a plan for your family’s safety.

“One of the most important things you can do to prepare is to know where you will go for shelter,” said Kaysey Pollan, director of Environmental Safety and Emergency Management at Cook Children’s. “The best place to be during a tornado is underground. If you don’t have access to a basement or underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture.”

When sheltering in an interior room, you want to make sure you’re away from windows. A bathroom or closet may also be a good option.

One of the worst places you can be during a tornado or strong winds is a mobile home. If you live in a mobile home, decide now where you will go for secure shelter.

In addition to knowing where to seek shelter, families should have a designated meeting place away from home (a neighbor’s house or a street corner in the neighborhood) where you would gather if you were separated during an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the meeting place is located.

Other ways to prepare:

• Locate your first-aid kit and fire extinguishers.
• Have flashlights handy.
• If you have helmets in your home, have them ready in an easy-to-access spot near your safe place.
• Know where utility switches or valves are located in case you need to turn them off.

If you are driving during a storm, stay in your car and try to find shelter (but not under an overpass). The only exception is if there’s a tornado coming toward you. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat on your stomach and cover your head with your hands. If it’s hailing, stop driving and find a place to park like inside a garage, under a carwash or a service station awning. If you have small children with you, put them under you and cover their eyes.

Whether or not your child is afraid of storms, it’s important for parents to stay calm during severe weather. Children are quick to pick up on their parents’ fears and anxieties and during an emergency and they will look to you for safety and reassurance.

“Parents should do their best to manage their own anxiety. If parents are calm it will help calm their children,” said Kristi Mannon, Ph.D., a psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should do their best to avoid watching news coverage in front of their children. Parents can check on weather updates on their phone or a device away from their children in order to stay informed.”

Dr. Mannon also advises parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings or to scold them.

“If a parent needs to complete a task such as preparing dinner and their child is expressing fear, they can take a break for a few seconds, make eye contact with their child, acknowledge their fear, and tell them they will talk about it as soon as dinner is ready,” she said.

“You can help your child stay calm not only by managing your own fears, but by having a supply kit ready to go,” said Justin Smith, M.D., a pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Trophy Club. “Make sure you have snacks and something for your child to drink in case you have to remain under shelter for an extended period of time.”

Another tip – distraction can go a long way with children.

“Have a box of items that don’t rely on electricity such as coloring books, board games, a deck of cards or a favorite stuffed animal,” he said. “This can help during the storm and if you have to leave your house during a disaster.”

It is also important to be honest with children about what’s going on. However, make sure the amount of information and detail you share is appropriate for their age level.

Should we plan on making baseball practice?

Are we prepared if the storm hits our home or while we are driving?

What can I do to ease the fears of my child who is afraid of storms?

First, your outdoor plans may need to be put on hold. According to the National Weather Service, you should start paying attention to the weather around 4 p.m. today. Storms will increase in coverage during the evening and overnight hours.

Next, have a plan for your family’s safety. Kaysey Pollan, Environmental Safety and Emergency Management officer at Cook Children’s, says everyone should know where they are going to go during severe weather.

“If you don’t have access to underground shelter, move to the interior room or hallway on the lowest floor and get under a sturdy piece of furniture,” Pollan says. “If you live in a mobile home, get out and find secure shelter.”

In addition to knowing where to seek shelter, families should have a designated meeting place away from home (a neighbor’s house or a street corner in the neighborhood) where you would gather if you were separated during an emergency. Make sure everyone in your family knows where the meeting place is located.

If you are driving during a storm, stay in your car and try to find shelter (but not under an overpass). The only exception is if there’s a tornado coming toward you. If you can’t find shelter, get out of the car and find the most low-lying area (ditch, ravine, etc.). Lay flat on your stomach and cover your head with your hands. If it’s hailing, stop driving and find a place to park like inside a garage, under a carwash or a service station awning. If you have small children with you, put them under you and cover their eyes.

Whether or not your child is afraid of storms, it’s important for parents to stay calm during severe weather. Children are quick to pick up on their parents’ fears and anxieties and during an emergency and they will look to you for safety and reassurance.

“Parents should do their best to manage their own anxiety. If parents are calm it will help calm their children,” said Kristi Mannon, Ph.D., psychologist at Cook Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should do their best to avoid watching news coverage in front of their children. Parents can check on weather updates on their phone or a device away from their children in order to stay informed.”

Dr. Mannon also advises parents not to dismiss their child’s feelings or to scold them.

“If a parent needs to complete a task such as preparing dinner and their child is expressing fear, they can take a break for a few seconds, make eye-contact with their child, acknowledge their fear, and tell them they will talk about it as soon as dinner is ready,” she said.

“You can help your child stay calm not only by managing your own fears, but by having a supply kit ready to go,” said Justin Smith, M.D., pediatrician at Cook Children’s Pediatrics Trophy Club. “Make sure you have snacks and something for your child to drink in case you have to remain under shelter for an extended period of time.”

Also, don’t let darkness become an added fear. Dr. Smith advises parents to have flashlights in a place that is easily accessible, and not just the one on your smartphone.

“You don’t want to run the risk of your phone dying and losing your flashlight too. It’s always a good idea to have a real flashlight handy,” he said.

Another tip – distraction can go a long way with children.

“Have a box of items that don’t rely on electricity such as coloring books, board games, a deck of cards or a favorite stuffed animal,” he said. “This can help during the storm and if you have to leave your house during a disaster.”

It is also important to be honest with children about what’s going on. However, make sure the amount of information and detail you share is appropriate for their age level.

It’s also a good idea to know the difference between a Watch and a Warning.

A Watch means conditions are favorable for severe weather to occur over the next several hours. The National Weather Service advises you to continue activities as normal, but monitor the weather and be ready to act if a Warning is issued.

A Warning means head for cover! This is an indication that severe weather is imminent or already occurring at your location. Seek shelter on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and stay away from windows.

One easy way to prepare for severe weather is to download the tornado app created by The American Red Cross. It provides alerts, watches, warnings, and plan-ahead lists right to your phone.

The American Academy of Pediatrics also has compiled a thorough list if wants to prepare for a disaster. You can find it here. 

Eleven people died, including one young child.

Maybe, someone you know was affected by the storm or maybe you had this thought: “That could have been me or my family.”

“This event may raise anxiety because it was so close to home,” Joy Crabtree, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist for Cook Children’s Behavioral Health in Southlake. “It’s important to stress to kids that even though some storms can be devastating. They are rarely deadly or cause such widespread damage.”

Saturday’s tornado outbreak was one of the worst in recent memory. The tornado that touched down in Garland was only the second EF-4 tornado to hit Dallas County since 1950.

Victoria McCain, a licensed psychologist for Cook Children’s, suggests giving young people just enough information that some bad things happened and how people are affected.

“Immediately follow this information with information about how people are helping, where affected people go for help, and how friends and neighbors act to help people affected by storm damage, and maybe how your family plans to help,” McCain said. “Older children may be curious about what happened and watch TV reports. Be sure to talk with your children about what they think and listen for their emotional reactions. Allow them to talk about what they think the people affected may be experiencing, emotionally and physically.”

Young children can be frightened by thunder and lightning and need reassurance during these events. Role model confidence and provide-age appropriate explanations about the day’s weather conditions.

Crabtree encourages a discussion following the aftermath of the storms, but only if your young children knows about the news of the tornadoes. Depending on their age and maturity level, it might be best to shield children from the news entirely.

Teens may have more questions and concerns because they are more aware of what happened. It’s OK to share with your child your own fears and anxieties about the events. Let them know it’s Ok to feel scared or frustrated, but it cannot overtake them.

“Be sure you are in control of your emotions and stress level,” McCain said. “Keep your face and body language pleasant and relaxed and convey confidence. Your kids will pick up on your fears and have trouble letting go of their own. Listen to what your child says about the event, validate his or her feelings by saying that everyone has feelings about what happened; show empathy by using feeling words such as saying, ‘You sound worried, scared, angry, mad, helpless, etc. about what happened.’”

You know your child better than anyone, check in with him or her often to see how they affected. Watch for signs of stress such as trouble sleeping, disturbed appetite, increase in bedwetting, being more clingy to you than before, irritability or wanting the comfort object they haven’t needed for a while. During this time, make sure to be there for your child and comfort with hugs as needed.

If bad weather is on the horizon, use activities to distract kids from the weather or from their own fears. Watch a movie or read books or play a game.

Reassure them that they are safe and if weather becomes severe, you are prepared. Let your child know that bad weather is usually predicted and it will give you time to get to your safe place in the home. Practice going to the safe spot in your home with the things you need such as bicycle helmets, flashlights, shoes, snacks, water and snacks (even for the pet).

Certainly, when severe storms leave behind damage and loss of life, it can raise anxiety levels for everyone. Reassure children about the advance warning systems for such storms and the steps that are taken to keep everyone safe. It may also be beneficial for kids to feel that they can help. That could be a gesture as simple as sending a letter or making a picture for those affected, or it could mean donating time or resources as well. Getting involved can be a great way to take anxious energy and turn it into something positive in order to help others.

“Talking with your children about ways to help those affected by the storm can be a good way to reduce the feeling of helplessness children feel after such an event,” McCain said. “Your child may spontaneously suggest a helpful action, or you may bring up the subject after you and your child have talked about the event and their feelings. Some families have established the way they handle charitable giving after tragic events and can involve their children in age-appropriate ways to participate. Some families are new to the concept and may be unsure of what to do. Contacting disaster relief agencies such as Salvation Army or Red Cross through their respective websites can give ideas that may inspire ways to give.”