The Montreal Children’s Hospital Urges Schools and Municipalities to Stay-on-Top of De-icing

Montreal – March 03, 2006 : It has been a very slippery winter and as a result, the trauma program at The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC has treated a significant number of children who have been seriously injured after falling on ice-covered schoolyards. Some of the injuries included head injuries, wrist and leg fractures, and ankle sprains. In the last three weeks alone, The Children’s has treated 60 children in the Emergency Department, 14 of these kids were so seriously injured they had to be hospitalized and followed by members of the Trauma Program.

“All last winter, we had only six children hospitalized for injuries due to falls in schoolyards,” said Debbie Friedman, Head of The Children’s Trauma Program. “The injuries suffered by the children we’re treating were preventable. If schoolyards are in use, conditions must be made safe for walking and playing. Salt, sand or chopping the ice should be done regularly. We have to be doing a better job because too many children are being seriously and unnecessarily injured.”

One child admitted to the hospital by the Trauma Program slipped on the ice in his schoolyard and fractured his skull resulting in a small blood clot. Another child severely fractured the femur bone in his leg.

The weather this winter has been extremely unpredictable: rapidly changing temperatures, the freeze-thaw, and the rain and snow has resulted in extremely icy conditions on roads, sidewalks, schoolyards, and ski and toboggan hills. When fresh snow falls on already icy surfaces the potential for injuries increases. We strongly encourage everyone to do whatever is necessary to help prevent any more incidents.

For more information please call:
Lisa Dutton
Manager Public Relations and Communications
The Montreal Children’s Hospital of the MUHC
(514) 412-4307