FORT SMITH (KFSM)-Parents in the River Valley and Northwest Arkansas are digging out the winter coats as an Arctic cold front moves in Monday (Nov. 10) into Wednesday causing a drop in temperatures for the next two weeks.
Jana Leeper, a Fort Smith mom, said before her children head outside they are prepared with a lot of layers.
"[There are] wool pants that we use inside and outside," Leeper said. "[They] are really great because it is a natural fiber that helps regulate body temperature."
According to Leeper, staying dry is key and it is not just about being warm outside, but inside as well.
“Parents are not encouraged to use blankets with small babies because of suffocation hazards," Leeper said.
Leeper said parents should also be mindful before hitting the road.
"Parents should not buckle their children into car seats with coats on,” Leeper said. “They should put their child in the car seat and once the child is in, unzip the coat and put the coat on baby backwards. That way you are not comprising the safety of your buckles in the car seat because you do not want to have this many layers of fabric between a protective device and your child."
According to Leeper, parents should also be prepared for the possibility of severe weather wherever they are going.
According to the Centers For Disease Control, a person can get hypothermia at 40 degrees. Symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, exhaustion, confusion or drowsiness. According to the CDC, parents should not ignore shivering as it is the first sign the body is losing heat. If the shivering persists, a person should be brought indoors.