Winter Coats in Car Seats, Dressing for Cold and Winter Safety

Dressing for cold

• A simple rule: dress babies and young children in one more layer than an adult would wear in the same weather.
• Layers work best: a snug base layer, a warm middle layer, and a waterproof outer layer. Add a hat, mittens, warm socks and waterproof boots.
• Check the back of the neck or the tummy. Warm and dry is right; sweaty means too many layers; cold means add one.
• Wet clothes pull heat away fast. Change wet mittens and socks right away and come in for warm-up breaks.

Coats and car seats

• Puffy coats and snowsuits compress in a crash, leaving the harness too loose to hold a child.
• The pinch test: buckle your child in with the coat on and tighten. Take them out, remove the coat, and buckle in again without loosening. If you can now pinch a fold of strap at the shoulder, the coat is too bulky for the car seat.
• Instead: thin layers such as fleece, buckle snugly, then put the coat on backwards over the harness or tuck a blanket on top.
• Car seat covers that stretch over the top only, like a shower cap, are fine for infant seats. Avoid anything that goes behind or under the child unless it came with the seat.
• Warm up the car first when you can. See the car seats guide.

Frostbite and hypothermia

• Frostnip and frostbite show up on fingers, toes, ears, nose and cheeks: skin turns red, then pale, gray or waxy, and may feel numb. Rewarm in lukewarm (not hot) water or with body heat. Don't rub or use a heater or heating pad.
• Hypothermia looks like shivering that stops, clumsiness, slurred speech, or unusual sleepiness. Get your child inside, remove wet clothes and warm them with blankets and skin contact.

Winter play

• Sledding: helmets, feet-first or seated, on slopes away from roads, trees and ponds. Adults should check the hill first.
• Stay off frozen ponds and lakes unless the ice is tested and approved for use.
• Sunscreen still matters on snow, which reflects UV.

Safety indoors

• Space heaters need 3 feet (1 m) of clear space and should be off when you sleep or leave the room.
• Carbon monoxide alarms on every level. Clear snow from car tailpipes and outdoor vents, and never idle a car in a garage.
• Safe sleep doesn't change in winter: no blankets or bumpers for babies. Use a wearable blanket and keep the room comfortably cool.

When to check in

• Have your pediatrician look at any skin that stays numb, blisters or turns dark after rewarming.
• Ask about winter skin problems or frequent cold-weather wheezing at a checkup.
• If your child is very drowsy, confused or has stopped shivering after cold exposure, call 911.