Serious sledding injuries in children dramatically increased during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Sledding is the most popular activity in young children given its cost and simplicity. Objective This study aims to highlight the increase in serious sledding injuries among children in France during the COVID-19 pandemic and to examine the patterns of injury. Methods A single-center retrospective study. Patients younger than 16 years of age were included if they were admitted in PICU because of a sledding, skiing or snowboarding accident. Results Compared with previous winter seasons, sledding-related injuries increased four to five-fold during the winter of 2020–2021, with a total of 12 children admitted to the PICU. Most were less than 5 years of age. At the time of the accident, most children (9/12, 75%) were not wearing a helmet. All children presenting with a head trauma were younger than 5 years old. Finally, no patient died and the median length of stay in ICU was 3 days (IQR 1–7). Conclusion: Serious pediatric injuries related to sledding have increased sharply with the COVID-19 pandemic. There is an urgent need to develop prevention strategies, including the widespread use of helmets.