For the latest information on closures and delayed openings visit here. 

Severe winter weather is hitting North Texas over the weekend and early this week—with below-freezing temperatures, piercing wind chills, and the potential for snow and ice. 

Road and school closures are a possibility, which means you and your little ones might be stuck at home for a few days—but even if the roads stay clear, you’ll likely have to brave some pretty intense cold. No matter what the weather brings, our Cook Children’s experts have shared some of their go-to tips and tricks for staying safe, healthy, and entertained in the days to come.

Tips for Staying Healthy at Home  

Erin Bridgewater, M.D., pediatrician at Cook Children's Pediatrics Celina, offered some ways to ensure you and your family stay healthy through a potential freeze. 

1. Make sure your medicine cabinet is stocked. There’s no need to hoard, but it’s important to make sure you have some basic medications handy in case your child gets sick and the weather makes it hard to get to a doctor. Tylenol, Motrin, Pedialyte, and Benadryl are all great to have on hand.  “If your child requires prescription medications for asthma, seizures, or other chronic illness, make sure you are not running low when winter storms are coming,” said Dr. Bridgewater.
2. Practice carbon monoxide safety. In the case of a power outage, you might be desperate to find alternative ways to heat your home. Never use a gas stove for household heat, and only operate portable stoves and charcoal grills outside and at least 20 feet away from windows. “If you have a new generator you want to try out, make sure to read the manual and use it properly,” said Dr. Bridgewater. “Also make sure you have working carbon monoxide detectors on each level of your home. Improper use of generators in or around the home can lead to deadly carbon monoxide accumulation and poisoning.” If you lose heat and all else fails, consider stocking up on handwarmers and bundling up with winter wear and blankets until the power comes back on. 
3. Bundle Up.  It's safe to let your kiddos go out and play in the snow, as long as it's not too terribly cold. “Remember that cold weather does NOT cause head colds—viruses do. Just make sure your little ones are properly bundled. They may prefer several light, but warm layers over super bulky clothing.” 

Tips for Staying Safe Outside  

Sharon Evans, Trauma Injury Prevention Coordinator, filled us in on safety precautions for the car and playing outside.

1. Never dress your child in a coat in their car seat. No matter how much you tighten the harness, a coat will still allow for enough slack to cause potential dangers during a crash. “For infants, you can heat up the car while you put them in their infant seat inside. Place a blanket over the harness, and then take them out to the car once it’s warmed up,” Sharon explains. "If they’re older, just harness them in and put their jacket backwards over the harness so they can take it off as the car heats up.”
2. Always wear a helmet when playing on ice. Whether it’s sledding, ice skating, or anything in between, it’s easy to fall on ice. Wearing a helmet could protect your child from a serious head injury. “We usually don't have the proper equipment for sledding, for example, so protecting your child's head is really important."
3. Ensure your child is wearing safe clothing. “Some hoodies and coats have drawstrings around the neck, which could be choking hazards." Parents should ensure their kids have good rubber-soled boots to reduce their risk of slipping on ice. “It's fun to play and slide around in the ice and snow, but you don't want them falling and breaking a bone or hurting their head."

Tips for Keeping Your Family Entertained 

Ashley Pagenkopf, MS, CCLS, Child Life Specialist at Cook Children's, told us how to turn being stuck inside into fun and adventurous quality time. 

1. Stock up on hands-on, creative supplies. “I like to have crafting stuff available, things that kids can color or paint that you might not get out on a regular day to play,” Ashley said.
2. Focus on stimulating, long-form activities. Ashley emphasizes the importance of engaging in activities that pass the time, like painting a mural on an old delivery box or building and reconstructing Legos. “I always try to encourage creativity and have things that kids enjoy doing,” she said. “Anything that you can build and then change to try something new is really helpful.” 
3. Make it a movie day. This option won’t work if your power goes out (but we’re hopeful that won’t happen)! Snuggle up and watch your kids’ favorite movies—keeping in mind screen time limitations, which we’ll get to on number 5. She also suggests keeping fun snacks and yummy beverages on hand. “Having some popcorn or hot chocolate with marshmallows is really fun for kids."
4. Set expectations for outside playtime. Only let your kids go outside for 20-25 minutes at a time, taking breaks to come back in and warm up for a while in between. “When kids see snow and ice, they just want to run out and play, and that's typically how they get hurt,” Ashley explains. “I try to prepare my kids by telling them exactly what clothes they need to put on and setting an expectation for how many times we’re going to go outside throughout the day.” 
5. Limit screen time as much as possible. Be careful letting your kids watch TV all day, as they will inevitably become irritable from too much time in front of the screen. “Getting outside is great as long as you have the right clothes, but also getting up and moving around and maybe having a dance party inside is helpful,” she said. “I would encourage families to limit screen time to the afternoon or evening, because if you start the day with it, your kids won’t want to do anything else.”

No matter what the winter weather brings, we hope you stay warm, healthy, and safe and can enjoy some quality time with your family. 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.

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.

Many counties in North Texas are under an Ice Storm Warning or a Winter Storm Warning. Travel conditions are expected to worsen as additional sleet and freezing rain deteriorates roads areawide. Travel is NOT recommended, according to the National Weather Service. Delay or plan alternate routes for travel. Slow down when driving and allow for additional travel time.

Ice has the potential to accumulate on trees and power lines Wednesday afternoon into early Thursday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Prepare for tree limb breakage and localized power outages in this region.

Dozens of Cook Children’s staff members are preparing for another night of winter weather. About 70 employees are expected to spend a second night at Cook Children’s Medical Center - Fort Worth to ensure they’re ready to take care of the children who need them tomorrow.  

In addition, our facilities crews have worked all day to make sure the roads and sidewalks around the Fort Worth and Prosper hospitals are safe. And our food services and environmental services teams are going above and beyond to make sure everyone working through the storm has clean sheets and warm meals. We are grateful for each and every one of them!

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.

Carbon Monoxide

If the power does go 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. Sam Selby, D.O., worked the overnight shift in the emergency department on Feb. 15, 2021 and saw families use propane or diesel-burning engines that are meant for outside use with adequate ventilation.

Dr. Selby described how families used generators inside or too close to their homes or garages to keep warm. Generators emit fumes and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning prevents your blood from being able to bind to or carry oxygen. You suffocate while you are still breathing,” Dr. Selby explained. 

Here are some additional ways to keep 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. 

Coats & Car Seats

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.

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.

Dressing Warmly

When Outside

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. "A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., Cook Children’s Medical Advisor for Digital Health. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."
• 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 your body.

Recognizing 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." To learn more about the warning signs of hypothermia, click on this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning signs for adults include:

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

Infants:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms.

Wind chills are expected to be below zero degrees on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service. Be sure to dress warmly, cover up any exposed skin and limit your time outdoors. Hypothermia begins when our body temperature drops two to four degrees. 

By Thursday night, low temperatures will fall into the single digits across most of the Dallas-Fort Worth region. By Friday morning, temps will be in the teens or possibly in the single digits with high wind gusts.

People exposed to extreme cold are susceptible to frostbite in a matter of minutes. Areas most prone to frostbite are uncovered skin and the extremities, such as hands and feet.

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

• Make sure that you have important phone numbers, including for 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.

Carbon Monoxide

If the power does go 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. Sam Selby, D.O., worked the overnight shift in the emergency department on Feb. 15, 2021 and saw families use propane or diesel-burning engines that are meant for outside use with adequate ventilation.

Dr. Selby described how families used generators inside or too close to their homes or garages to keep warm. Generators emit fumes and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning prevents your blood from being able to bind to or carry oxygen. You suffocate while you are still breathing,” Dr. Selby explained. 

Here are some additional ways to keep 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 of 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. 

Coats & Car Seats

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.

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.

Dressing Warmly

When Outside

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. "A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., Cook Children’s Medical Advisor for Digital Health. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."
• 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.

Recognizing 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." To learn more about the warning signs of hypothermia, click on this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning signs for adults include:

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

Infants:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping in cold rooms.

Want to know more about winter weather safety? 

Check out these articles from Checkup Newsroom contributors:

• Cold Weather and Kids. How to Keep Your Family Safe at Home, Outside and in the Car. 
• Bracing for Freezing Weather: Plan Ahead to Protect Your Family on the Road
•  Common Winter Mistakes Parents Make
• Cook Children’s Sees Spike in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Patients During Freezing Temperatures

With the temperature reaching 104 the other day, I was shocked to see a toddler by himself in the car outside of a restaurant. I rushed inside and found his mom, who waited in line for her to go order. As soon as the mom unlocked the car and I knew the child was safe, I left but could not get this scenario out of my mind.

“There is no amount of time that is safe to leave a child in the car,” said Sharon Evans, RN, BSN, CPN, CPSTI, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s. “It’s not worth the risk to run into a restaurant because before you know it five or 10 minutes have gone by, and the temperature could have reached a dangerous level. If a child is left in the car and something happens, there is no way to justify it.”

Since May 1, MedStar emergency medical crews have responded to nine incidents where a child was left in a hot car. All were under 6 years old.

Only 20 states have laws that make it illegal to leave a child unattended in a vehicle – Texas being one of them. In only 10 minutes, a car’s temperature rises 19 degrees, and cracking windows has no effect. Since 1998, 920 children are known to have died in the U.S. of pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH), 13 of those deaths happening this year. Texas leads all states with 137 pediatric vehicular heatstroke deaths.

“When a core body temperature of 107 degrees or greater is reached, cells are damaged and internal organs begin to shut down,” Evans said. “A child’s thermoregulatory system is not as efficient as an adult’s and the body temperature warms at a rate three to five times faster.”

Sharon became part of the Texas Heatstroke Task Force which formed in 2011 after a Safe Kids Worldwide meeting. The Task Force provides heatstroke prevention education.

“Our goal is to provide awareness about pediatric vehicular heatstroke to prevent these deaths from happening,” said Johnny Humphreys, Texas Heatstroke Task Force Chair.

How Everyone Can Help Prevent Pediatric Vehicular Heatstroke Deaths 

Evans says that everyone needs to be aware of locking their car doors, because some kids, especially those with special needs, think of the car as their safe haven.

“Some children with autism find comfort from the vibration of the car, so they may escape to an unlocked vehicle,” Evans said. “The problem is that sometimes they can get into the car but not out of it.”

Besides locking doors, everyone can be on the lookout for children left in cars. The Texas Good Samaritan Law allows you to rescue a child in a hot car if five conditions are met.

Tips for Parents and Caregivers of Young Children

Research shows the majority of people are in overdrive and functioning on autopilot. Be on alert if there is a change in routine such as dad dropping off the child at daycare instead of mom and proactively plan for it. Leave an important belonging such as a shoe or purse in the backseat by the child so you automatically go there before walking away from the car.

“I know some couples who text each other every morning after dropping off their child at daycare,” Humphreys said. “That way if one parent doesn’t receive their daily text, they can double check to be sure the child is OK.”

ACT – Prevention Method

Avoid heatstroke-related injury by never leaving a child alone in a car, not even during a quick trip into a store. Always lock your doors and trunks — including in your driveway or garage. If a child is missing, check the pool and water sources first, then check vehicles, including trunks.

Create reminders. Keep a stuffed animal or other mementos in your child's seat when it's empty and move it to the front seat as a visual reminder when your child is in the back seat. Or place and secure your phone, briefcase or purse in the backseat when traveling.

“One kind of memory is based on repetitive actions,” Humphreys said. “By using one of these methods every time you drive the car, it will become a habit.”

Take Action. If you see a child alone in a car, take action. Call 911.

More info:

Good Samaritan Law in Texas for removing certain persons from a vehicle (texas.gov)

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.

After last February’s big freeze and mass power outages, it’s understandable to be a little uneasy about the forecast. But thankfully, this cold plunge isn’t expected to last as long as last year’s storm.

Still, it’s a good idea to have a plan in place.

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

• Make sure that you have important phone numbers, including for 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.

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

During last February’s winter storm, Cook Children’s treated 13 patients for carbon monoxide poisoning in one night. Sam Selby, D.O., worked the overnight shift in the emergency department on Feb. 15, 2021 and saw families use propane or diesel-burning engines that are meant for outside use with adequate ventilation.

In this Checkup Newsroom article, he described families using generators inside or too close to their homes or garages to keep warm. Generators emit fumes and can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Carbon monoxide poisoning prevents your blood from being able to bind to or carry oxygen. You suffocate while you are still breathing,” Dr. Selby explained. 

Here are some additional ways to keep 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 of 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. 

The best bet during winter weather is to stay off the roads. 

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.

“The injuries we see from car wrecks are because parents are making the same mistakes over and over with car seats,” explains Sharon Evans, trauma injury prevention coordinator at Cook Children’s.

She reminds parents to keep children calm and quiet when traveling, whether that means playing their favorite music, letting them bring a safe toy, or talking with them before leaving home.

“Children can read your emotions,” she said. “If you’re uptight, they will be able to sense it.”

More to consider before getting behind the wheel:

1. 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.
2. Give yourself extra time to get where you are going. And don't forget to account for traffic. 
3. 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.
4. Avoid overpasses if possible. Plan out alternate routes to your destination and avoid high traffic areas when possible.
5. 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.

Want to know more about winter weather safety? 

Check out these articles from Checkup Newsroom contributors:

• Cold Weather and Kids. How to Keep Your Family Safe at Home, Outside and in the Car. 
• Bracing for Freezing Weather: Plan Ahead to Protect Your Family on the Road
•  Common Winter Mistakes Parents Make
• Cook Children’s Sees Spike in Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Patients During Freezing Temperatures

At Home

• Don’t put blankets or other loose bedding in your infant’s sleeping environment. Instead, babies should wear one-piece sleepers or sleep sacks to keep warm while avoiding the risk of suffocation. For more information on SIDS, suffocation and co-sleeping dangers, click here.
• Make sure your home has working carbon monoxide detectors on every level, especially near bedrooms. They should be located at least 15 feet away from fuel-burning appliances. You can find more information about carbon monoxide dangers in this Checkup Newsroom story from 2015.
• Have a fire escape plan ready in case of a house fire. Make sure the whole family knows what to do if the unimaginable happens.

In the Car

• Don’t put your child in a car seat with a heavy coat 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 backwards 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.
• If using a blanket over a newborn in a car seat, tuck it several inches below the child’s chin to ensure it won’t become a source of suffocation.
• Be mindful of road conditions which may increase the risk of a collision. 
• 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 non-perishable snacks packed away.

When Outside

• Make sure newborns are dressed appropriately. "A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., FAAP, a Cook Children's pediatrician in Willow Park. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."
• 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. “Infants have the same temperature intolerance as adults, but they lose more heat through their heads,” said Frank McGehee, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician at Fort Worth (Magnolia). “A hat is one of the most important pieces of winter clothing for infants.”
• 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.

Recognizing 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. Stay safe this winter by learning more about hypothermia, including who is most at risk, signs and symptoms, and what to do if someone develops hypothermia." To learn more about the warning signs of hypothermia, click on this site from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Warning signs for adults include:

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

Infants:

• Bright red, cold skin
• Very low energy

Victims of hypothermia can include babies sleeping cold rooms.

“Wear shoes outside.”

“Put on your hat.”

Does any of this really matter? Is any of it true?

Between well-meaning friends and family members and the wealth of websites devoted to health, parents are bombarded with tips and tricks to keep their kids healthy year round, but especially during the winter. This can make separating fact from fiction difficult.

Not all old wives’ tales are fictitious – some are grounded in truth. However, if you have questions or hear health advice that doesn’t make sense to you, always ask your children’s pediatrician before acting on the information or simply believing a statement is true.

Let’s take a look at the facts on these weather health myths.

Myth 1: Sudden changes in the weather make you sick

One day you are wearing shorts and the next day you are dragging out all of your winter gear. Welcome to Texas. So doe the fluctuating weather make you sick? In general terms, the answer is no. I know no matter how much science I use in my answer, many of you won't believe me. The truth is there's no scientific proof that changes in the weather will make you sick or keep you from getting better. 

But as usual there are exceptions. The changes in the weather can be really hard on your child's skin. Moisturizing children's skin during the winter is important and that includes wearing protective lip balm. Also, make sure your child uses sunscreen when playing outside whether it's cold or hot outside. 

The other concern would be kids with asthma. People have different triggers for their asthma. The most common ones tend to be weather changes, viral infections and exposure to certain allergens. Cold, dry air can cause bad flare-ups and viral infections are the most common trigger this time of year. Parents should stress to their children the importance of handwashing, especially this time of year.

Myth 2: If children go outside with wet hair or without shoes, they’ll get sick.

Many people believe that cold temperatures are responsible for the spike in illness that typically occurs during late fall and the winter months. People get sick in the winter because they spend more time in close proximity to one another, not because they’ve been exposed to cold weather.

The truth is it’s not really going to matter that much if your kids go outside without socks and shoes – except maybe if you don’t want dirty feet or if it’s extremely cold, your child runs the risk of frostbite.

It’s true we do see more colds, flu and flu-like viruses during the winter. Both the life cycle of common viruses and the fact that people are more likely to be clustered inside their homes and schools when it’s cold outside, which causes viruses to circulate, contribute to this increase.

Myth 3: People lose most of their body heat throughout their heads, so children should wear hats while playing outside in cold weather.

This tale originated in response to several studies conducted by the United States Army in the 1950s. Further research has since debunked this claim, but it’s true that your face, chest and head get colder faster when you’re exposed to winter weather.

Your face is particularly sensitive to the cold. If your children’s faces are cold while playing outside, they should wear warmer clothes. But colds come from germs – not cold temperatures – so children aren’t going to get sick if they don’t wear a hat.”

Myth 4: Feed a cold and starve a fever.

We’ve all heard this and probably most of us can’t even keep the saying straight. But there’s no scientific evidence to support the idea that children should fast when running a fever. Children who are sick should eat when they feel up to it and drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.

Even if children don’t feel hungry, we ask parents to encourage their kids to drink as many liquids as they can. I’ve also heard an old wives’ tale that says you shouldn’t drink milk if you’re running a fever, but milk works as well as other fluids when it comes to keeping kids hydrated. Other good choices include water, Pedialyte and Gatorade.

Myth 5: All fevers should be treated with medicine because high fevers are dangerous.

As parents, it’s only natural to rush to the medicine cabinet at the first sign of a high temperature, but fevers aren’t always a cause for concern. In fact, they help your child’s body fight infection. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, children’s demeanors are often better indicators of illness severity than the numbers on the thermometer. If children aren’t fussy or complaining of feeling badly, there’s no need to treat a fever unless their doctor says otherwise.

Myth 6: You can’t prevent your child from catching a cold.

While there’s no cure for the common cold, you can take steps that will reduce your child’s risk. In this case, grandma is right. These are the same steps she told you. Wash your hands after you sneeze. Wash your hands after you blow your nose. Wash your hands after you eat. See a theme? Children should sneeze into the crook of their elbow and not their hands. They should blow their nose to get rid of the mucus. For children too young to blow their noses, parents should use a blue bulb syringe and drain the child’s nose with salines. If a cold lasts longer than a week, bring your child in to see his or her pediatrician. It could possibly be a sign of acute sinusitis and may need to be treated differently than the common cold.

Don’t buy into the weather myths. Here are some tips for preventing health issues:

• Help your child eat healthy and get good sleep.
• Get your child up and active in some way every day.
• Teach your child to wash their hand and cover their coughs.
• Get your child a flu shot (it’s still not too late).

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. 

Dressing your children appropriately when the mercury plunges is particularly important. Failing to do so can result in serious harm.

To ensure your children stay safe during this bitter blast, it’s important to identify the fine line between too much clothing and too little.

“You don’t want your children to be so bundled up that they sweat and lose moisture,” said Frank McGehee, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician in Fort Worth (Magnolia). “However, you also don’t want your child exposed to hypothermia by playing outside in the cold without the proper or wet clothes. The key is to dress your children in layers that can be easily put on and taken off, depending on the ages and responsibility levels of the kids.”

Essential items include hats and gloves that your kids will actually wear, as well as sweatshirts or T-shirts that can be layered under overcoats or jackets on very cold days.

Keep in mind the following clothing tips for your children so you can properly stock their closet for winter’s arrival:

• For the most warmth, dress your little ones in wool instead of cotton.
• Make sure your children wear long underwear on particularly chilly days.
• Purchase waterproof pants and jackets to keep your children’s underlying layers of clothing dry during snowy weather.
• Don’t let your children go outside without warm gloves, socks, boots and a hat.

“Infants have the same temperature intolerance as adults, but they lose more heat through their heads,” Dr. McGehee said. “A hat is one of the most important pieces of winter clothing for infants.”

Newborns aren't able to manage their body temperature like adults can. So, as the thermostat dips, the way you handle outings with little ones needs to change.

Know your babies' limits and plan ahead when making a trip outside so you can keep them well this winter.

Bundle Up

Before infants head outdoors, make sure they are wearing fresh diapers and are insulated against the cold and wet.

"A good rule of thumb is to dress newborns in as many layers as you're wearing," said Diane Arnaout, M.D., FAAP, a Cook Children's pediatrician in Willow Park. "That includes covering their heads, hands and feet. Those areas can lose a lot of heat and be harder to keep warm."

As a mom of young children, Dr. Arnaout has first-hand experience in facing area winters with a newborn. She recommends using socks to keep tiny hands and feet warm, knit hats for infant heads and sunglasses to keep the bright winter sun out of little eyes.

Pay Attention

It's important to regularly check on newborns while you're together outdoors. Babies tend to fuss when they're uncomfortable, so if they are crying or restless while you're out and about, it may be time to move outside.

To see if infants are getting too cold, check their ears, nose, hands and feet regularly. If your own nose or ears are cold or your lips and becoming chapped, odds are it's too cold outside for babies.

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.

Some estimate that children will have 8-12 upper respiratory infections (coughs and colds) per year. Because many of those will be clustered in the winter and viral respiratory infections can last 1-2 weeks, it’s possible your child might seem to be sick “all winter long.”

Anytime a child seems to be sick off and on for months at a time, people will search for answers. Anytime people search for answers, they will start to make connections where connections don’t really exist…

So, now it’s time for: Winter Weather Health Myths

Myth No. 1 - Feed a cold and starve a fever.

I don’t care if you decide to feed a cold. If a child is hungry and not vomiting, let them eat but starving a fever doesn’t make sense. Besides, the major thing is that you need to monitor a child’s drinking when they are sick more than their eating. Dehydration is frequently what causes a child with a cold or flu to get sicker and require medical attention. You should encourage (“force”) your child to drink small, frequent sips of whatever fluid they will drink. Pedialyte or Gatorade are good options but milk is fine too (yes, even with fever).

Myth No. 2 – It’s been too cold for my child to exercise.

Maybe, for like two weeks in late January, it’s too cold for your child to exercise OUTSIDE. Otherwise, buy you and your child a sweatshirt and go for a walk. During those two weeks, you can walk circles around the house together or just do some lunges or something. Even 10 minutes a day is better than zero.

Myth No. 3 – Going outside to the cold (wet head or not) will make your child sick.

Cold weather and getting cold doesn’t actually make you sick. Getting sick is the result of being exposed to an infection that makes you sick not by getting cold. We think that viruses tend to increase in activity during winter due to the fact that people are more likely to be crowded inside.

Myth No. 4 – Taking Vitamin C (or a multivitamin or Zinc or essential oils) will protect your child from colds and flu.

The supplement industry has become big business for both adults and children as people look for anything to prevent illness. Unfortunately, study after study show that they simply don’t work. Essential oils are one of the latest to promote the ability to “boost” the immune system but studies are still lacking to show benefit in children. For now, our best bets are simple things like washing hands, covering coughs and getting the flu vaccine (I know it’s not perfect but at least it’s something).

Myth No. 5 – If you don’t like the weather in Texas, wait 5 minutes.

While not technically a myth, because weather can change fast in Texas. Good evidence is the last week. But, we’re not alone. Most of the United States believes that the phrase “If you don’t like the weather in ____, wait 5 minutes” applies to their state. A Google search ranking for this phrase puts Texas at number 8 on the states where this phrase was searched for (behind Massachusetts, New York, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maine, South Carolina and North Carolina).

Don’t buy into the winter weather myths. Here are some tips for preventing winter weather health issues:

• Help your child eat healthy and get good sleep.
• Get your child up and active in some way every day.
• Teach your child to wash their hand and cover their coughs.
• Get your child a flu shot (it’s still not too late).