Severe tobogganing injuries in kids and teens spiking in Hamilton

Tobogganing is a national pastime - but in fun comes risk.

Concussions. Dislocated elbows. Fractured ankles. Lacerated livers. Shattered kidneys.

These are just a handful of the injuries that have come through the emergency department at McMaster Children's Hospital (MCH) in recent months as tobogganing-related accidents in Hamilton spike amid the pandemic.

It kind of makes sense given the limited amount of things kids and teens are able to do these days," said Dr. April Kam, an emergency room doctor at MCH. But several of the injuries we've seen have been very serious."

Kam said in November and December, 15 kids and teenagers were treated for tobogganing injuries at the hospital's emergency department.

That's double the amount treated over the same span last year, and nearly equal to all 18 patients treated throughout 2019.

While data for tobogganing-related accidents in January and February remains pending, Kam said the rate of visits to the ER has only increased over the past few weeks.

And it's not just that there are more injuries this winter - they're also worse.

Kam said some patients have required blood transfusions or been admitted to the intensive-care unit.

Several cases have been intra-abdominal injuries, kids with liver lacerations, fractures and dislocations, lacerations going through snow pants," she said.

So, what's to blame?

One answer is obvious: with more kids out and about due to the stay-at-home order, more kids are bound to get injured.

The other is a little less so: Kam said ill-advised decision-making - from what toboggan people use to what hill they ride - largely contributes to the extent of injuries a person can sustain.

They're going down steep hills with obstacles in the way, like trees and branches, and they're hitting those and getting severe organ damage," Kam said. These objects can cut right through your jacket and snow pants."

Tobogganing might presently seem like a boredom saviour - and it likely is, relative to what other activities are available in a COVID world.

But please: do it safely, because it can be done safely," Kam said.

Here's a few tips from Kam on safe tobogganing practices:

• Avoid sledding near roads or crowded slopes;

• Pick a shallow hill that is free of trees, fences or any other obstacle;

• Wear a ski or hockey helmet;

• Sit up or kneel on the sled - lying down can increase risk of head, spine and stomach injuries;

• Don't use sleds with sharp or jagged edges, and avoid sled that are lifted up onto skis because they reach dangerous speeds.

Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com