With winter weather and cold temperatures covering the Bellaire area, officials at Texas Children’s Hospital are urging parents to take steps to make certain their children are protected from the cold.
They are offering a number of simple tips that parents can use to keep their children warm and safe while playing outside or participating in outdoor sports and events.
These tips are especially helpful for families participating in marathons or running in events such as Texas Children’s Kids’ Fun Run – which is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29 – but they can be used as guidelines for any outdoor play.
Safety Tips
- Before participating in any sport, be sure your child warms up by walking for two to three minutes at the minimum.
- After warming up, stretching is important. Stretches should be held for at least 20 seconds and repeated two to three times after the workout.
Dressing appropriately
Clothing
- Be sure when training in the winter your child is dressed accordingly.
- Layering allows kids to adjust to changes in weather as well as changes in body heat generated.
- The deepest layer should allow sweat evaporation and the outer layer should be water/wind resistant.
- Middle layers should be designed for warmth and insulation.
Shoes for running
- Be sure your child has a good pair of running shoes.
- The best running shoe is the one that fits well, feels comfortable and is built to support the differences in people’s feet.
Accessories for disabled
- Children who use walkers or wheelchairs may want to wear gloves to reduce the risk of developing blisters on their hands.
Texas Children’s Kids’ Fun Run kicks off the Chevron Houston Marathon race weekend of events on Jan. 30 and promotes the importance of physical activity and living a healthy lifestyle.
For more information about the fun run and to download a free training guide, visit www.texaschildrens.org/funrun.
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