This year's winter break will last from February 10th to 23rd in Lower Silesia. However, all indications are that it will be "winter" in name only, as temperatures are likely to remain above freezing. This presents a real challenge for parents preparing their children for trips. Temperature fluctuations mean that backpacks need to be packed with significantly more clothes, suitable for both warm and cold days. "Overheating during active winter recreation can be just as bad as cooling down. In both cases, we are more susceptible to infections, so we need to avoid such situations." – emphasizes Dr. Agnieszka Bucka, a pediatrician from the YOUR DOCTOR clinic. "It's better to put on several layers of clothing and take one off if necessary than to sweat in a thick sweater with a short-sleeved T-shirt underneath. In short, we dress in layers. Thermal clothing that wicks away excess moisture and keeps the heat close to the body also works well." – adds the doctor.
Proper clothing that provides thermal comfort is just as important as following simple hygiene rules that help avoid seasonal viral and bacterial infections. During winter holidays, we often spend time in large groups of people. Coaches carrying children to the holidays, trains, and finally mountain railways and recreation centers.
We should wash our hands more often than usual and avoid droplet infections. In order not to expose ourselves and others to infections, remember to cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing.. "It is also very important to air the rooms we are in every day. We should also warn the youngest against drinking cold, carbonated drinks. With frequent temperature changes, this causes dryness and severe sore throats," warns Dr. Agnieszka Bucka. "Of course, this does not exempt us from the need to replenish fluids during physical activity. It is therefore worth having a thermos with a drink at room temperature with us."
Winter break should be a time of carefree fun, and we wish that for everyone. However, sometimes, relaxation is accompanied by various unexpected events. Minor injuries on the slopes, cuts, bruises, and sprains.
To stock up on them yourself, our first aid kit will come in handy:
– a small liquid for washing wounds,
– arnica ointment for bruises and swelling,
– plasters with dressing
– gel plasters for abrasions and blisters.
– gauze pads and elastic bandage.
This is only about minor injuries. In case of more serious incidents and wounds, medical consultation is always necessary.
Passionate skiers must remember that a sunny day on the slopes without proper skin protection can end in sunburn or frostbite. Therefore, we take a cream with a UV filter and a greasy cream for extreme weather conditions to the first aid kit for a ski trip. We should also remember about a protective lip balm, because chapped lips can make any winter trip unpleasant, as can hoarseness and sore throat, for which we should prepare gel lozenges and a moisturizing spray.
Parents preparing their children for winter camps should avoid providing them with medication kits, including painkillers, antipyretics and diarrhoea remedies. "As parents, we can never be sure that our child will properly assess their health and take the right amount of these drugs. The decision to administer any medication should be made by a specialist" - Dr. Agnieszka Bucka, a pediatrician from the TWÓJ ELEKARZ clinic at Zwycięska Street in Wrocław, points out.