The Shadow
ROANOKE, Va. (VR) – As winter weather grips the region, pediatric trauma leaders at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital are urging families to embrace the season safely, citing a sharp rise in sledding-related injuries and preventable emergencies across the majority of winter sports.
At a briefing this week, Tanya Trevilian, Pediatric Trauma Program Manager at Carilion Children’s, said the hospital has seen a notable surge in pediatric injuries tied to sledding this January compared to last year. In 2025, the pediatric team recorded three trauma alerts and seven sledding-related patients during January. Just this first month in 2026, more than twenty children have been treated, including five pediatric trauma alerts. In one recent week, nearly two-thirds of pediatric emergency visits were linked to sledding, with injuries ranging from cuts and bruises to fractures, concussions, and internal trauma, she said.
“Ice changes everything,” Trevilian said, noting that slick surfaces reduce friction, increase speed, and make steering or stopping difficult. “Higher speeds mean collisions and falls are more forceful, increasing injury severity,” she said. Hidden hazards such as rocks, dips, and frozen ruts raise the risk of sudden flips and multi-person pileups on crowded slopes.
Trevilian urged families to follow a “SAFE SLED” checklist:
Choose gentle, obstacle-free hills away from roads and water.
Always wear head protection, such as a bike, ski, or multi-sport helmet.
Ride feet-first and never head-first.
Ensure adult supervision and keep younger children on smaller hills.
Stay warm, scan the hill ahead, exit safely, and avoid overcrowding.
When ice is present, she added, it’s “probably safer not to sled.” If families do go out, they should assess slope size and surface conditions carefully and expect faster speeds. Powdered snow remains the safest sledding surface, while slushy conditions impede control and are less desirable for sledding, she said. The warnings extend beyond sledding. For skiing, Trevilian emphasized helmets, binding checks, visibility awareness, and fatigue management.
“Speed plus fatigue equals falls,” she said, urging skiers to take breaks, use appropriate goggles, and maintain control on crowded or glare-heavy runs. Snowboarders can reduce wrist fractures with guards, learn safer falling techniques that shift impact from hands to forearms, stretch to protect lower legs, and ensure proper boot fit for balance and control. Ice skaters should use well-fitted skates, wear gloves or wrist guards, bend knees for balance, and skate only in designated areas where ice thickness is verified. New skaters should consider lessons to learn fundamentals and prevent injuries, she said.
Hospital officials also cautioned residents as another winter system approaches. Snow on top of ice can disguise dangerously hard surfaces.
“Snow on top doesn’t necessarily mean there isn’t ice underneath,” Trevilian said. Even experienced walkers and outdoor enthusiasts can be caught off guard by thin or concealed ice patches, she noted,
Beyond recreation, winter chores carry serious risks as well. There were 4,700 snow blower injuries nationally in 2022 alone, and a high rate of hand and finger trauma.
Residents should never clear a clogged chute by hand, should review equipment manuals, avoid running gas-powered equipment in enclosed spaces, and refrain from fueling hot engines. Officials also recommend checking for recalls annually and reporting unsafe products or injuries to the proper authorities.
Carilion Roanoke Memorial, designated as the region’s only Level I trauma center for both adults and pediatrics, underscored its dual mission to deliver lifesaving care and to prevent injuries before they happen.
“We see the worst of the worst,” Tanya said during the briefing, “and part of our job is to help prevent injuries in the first place.”
For families heading outdoors, Trevilian’s message was clear: winter sports injuries are largely preventable. Helmets, proper equipment, skill-appropriate terrain, lessons for beginners, and close supervision can significantly reduce risk. Parents should also prepare children for the cold by layering moisture-wicking inner garments under waterproof outerwear, scheduling warm-up breaks to prevent hypothermia and frostbite, and remembering sunscreen even on chilly days. Hydration matters in winter, too, she said.
Key takeaways for safer outings:
Sled on gentle obstacle-free hills, go feet-first, wear helmets, and supervise closely.
On skis or snowboards, control speed, rest to avoid fatigue, protect wrists, check bindings, and boot fit.
Ice skate only in verified or indoor venues, wear protective gear, and consider lessons.
Assume snow may conceal ice, test surfaces, and scan surroundings.
Use snow blowers with extreme caution and never put your hands near moving parts.
“We want kids and families to enjoy the season,” Trevilian said. “Our goal is for kids to enjoy winter safely, not spend it recovering from avoidable injuries.” She applauded the work of hospital staff and first responders who “continue to show up in the toughest conditions” to care for the community when accidents happen, and she encouraged residents to help reduce preventable emergencies by putting safety first.
Hospital leaders expressed gratitude to emergency department teams, trauma surgeons, nurses, EMS crews, and dispatchers for their dedication through storms and icy weeks. Their coordinated response, officials said, ensures rapid care when minutes matter most, and underscores why prevention remains the community’s first, best line of defense.
