Safer Child Products

Does your toddler wear a helmet when riding his tricycle?  Do your children wear helmets when they roller skate or ice skate?

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) 500,000 children are injured in bike crashes each year. Most of those injured were children between the ages of 5 and 14, and occurred just from riding around in neighborhoods and playgrounds.
In recent years, I’ve seen how ice skating has become a popular activity for children of all ages.  The CPSC recommends that when ice skating, children should wear “bicycle, ski or skateboard helmets.”  But not all helmets are created equal.  Be sure you know which helmet you need and that the helmet you choose has been certified and fits properly.
For maximum protection a bicycle helmet:

1.    Must sit flat on the head, not slanted and should not shift.

2.    It should lay 1-2 finger widths above the eyebrows.

3.     The chin strap must be snug so that the helmet does not come off in a fall or crash. 

4.    The side straps on a bike helmet should sit in a V around the ear and be secure.

5.    Be sure to replace a helmet after a bicycle accident or when it is outgrown.

Start your kids out early, so that it becomes natural for them to wear their helmets every time they ride but be sure to remove the helmet before climbing on playground equipment. No helmet should equal No Ride.

Follow the link for more information about “Which Helmet for Which Activity” http://www.cpsc.gov/CPSCPUB/PUBS/349.pdf

Safer Child Products

January 24, 2011

It’s so exciting to see young children take the next step during mealtime to eat table food.  Just because they have little or no teeth does not mean you should limit their diet.  Children between 9 mos. and 1 year often start eating chicken or meat.  They may be eager to try new textures and sample what the adult at the table is eating, but be sure to cut the foods into pea-sized pieces to avoid choking.

A common mistake is to slice foods the short way, often leaving food such as hot dogs, carrots or grapes just the size to block a child’s windpipe.  Be sure to cut food lengthwise and supervise mealtime. Firm foods like carrots and celery that a child can hold and bite are not the best choice, as they can bite off too big a chunk. Soft food like fruit cocktail may be a better choice than firm fruits and vegetables, but you can always cook the vegetables first to soften.

Some other foods that are likely to cause choking are nuts, pretzels, popcorn, hard candies, cough drops and even raisins!  Sticky and gloppy foods are not recommended for young children either, so avoid bubblegum, marshmallows, toffee as well as big globs of peanut butter that can get lodged in the throat.

Follow the link below for more details on unsafe foods for toddlers.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_foods-that-can-be-unsafe-for-your-toddler_1491465.bc

Safer Child Products

January 17, 2011

Looking outside my window, the sky is so grey, as we await yet another winter storm.  Like my own backyard, most places seem to have snow and even inside there is a chill in the air. How can you make sure your child is both comfortable and safe during sleep time?

Crib safety is a hot topic.  Besides the recall of many drop side cribs and the recent recommendation to remove bumpers from cribs, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) continues to be a problem. This article from the American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.healthychildren.org/english/ages-stages/baby/sleep/pages/Preventing-SIDS.aspx

provides advice beyond “back to sleep” as stomach sleeping increases the risk for SIDS.  Since a blanket is not recommended for use in the crib, you might consider using a sleep sack instead. 

Safer Child Products

My children have outgrown the “put everything in my mouth” stage, and are very into Legos and beads and toys with small parts!  However we have plenty of friends and family with small children.  When we are preparing to have them over, we go through the house looking for small pieces and removing them from reach.

It reminded me of when we first baby proofed our home and thought I’d share some insights for those of you who might first be getting to that stage.

You may wonder “When do I need to start baby proofing my home?”  As your baby begins to get mobile, working his way across the room, it’s a good time to get down on your hands and knees and see what your baby sees.

First, consider putting gates at the top and bottom of stairwells, because before you know it you will turn around and the baby will be down the hall.  With an open stairwell, the baby might fall down and get badly hurt.  You will find that stairs are very appealing to little ones on the move, and they might spend quite a bit of time trying to climb the stairs.  In time, this is a skill that you can teach them, but again, once they start up, they are likely to fall down, or to get stuck not knowing how to get down.

Next, think about the electrical outlets. Children tend to stick things in holes, and explore anything sticking out.  You can get individual outlet plug covers, or get a new “face” for your outlet that has the holes either twisted or slid off center.  These still provide easy access for an adult to use the outlet when necessary, but does not leave the baby vulnerable.

Consider keeping extra outlet plug covers with you so when you travel or go to someone’s house which is not baby proofed, you can stick the outlet covers in the plugs in the room where the baby is spending time.

Drawer Latches: Baby will try to pull themselves up on tables, chairs, cabinet doors, anything they can reach.  They may also sit and open/close over and over again.  Decide which cabinets and drawers do not have potentially dangerous things in them and keep them unlocked.  Drawers that have sharp utensils, or breakable dishes in a low cabinet may need to get locked.  There are many different child safety locks on the market.  Some work with magnets, others on springs and some just need to be pushed down with some force to clear the doorframe.  Along with door latches, don’t forget to move all cleaning supplies/detergents up to a high shelf/ or locked cabinet.

Some other things to consider, is bolting down air vent covers, so children do not get cut or throw things down into the vent. Also, bolting tall or heavy furniture to the walls prevents furniture, books, TVs etc. from being pulled down onto a child who is just trying to stand up, or explore.

Be aware of what type of household plants you have, as some may be poisonous and you may not want a plant that frequently drops leaves or “needles” easily accessible to a young child.

Toilet Locks can be helpful so that children do not play in the toilet, and watch out for drawstrings on window blinds which can choke a child.

You can also purchase a clear shatterproof guard for the spindles on the banister, whether they are too wide or are just in a 2^nd story foyer.  This prevents children from climbing on the spindles and from losing things through them.  If the space is too wide between spindles, it is possible for a child to get his head caught in between.

Bifold doors can easily pinch a child’s fingers.  Getting a simple slide lock goes over the top of the door and tightens to prevent door from opening.

For these and other baby proofing items check out http://www.kidsafeinc.com/?gclid=CKaZ846jsKYCFYHc4AodGifKnw

http://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-home/pages/Kitchen-Safety.aspx

Safer Child Products

January 3, 2011

Well,” the weather outside is frightful…” whether you like it like this or not, winter weather will be here for a while.  The question is what to do about bulky jackets when we buckle children into their car seats.  Sometimes Grandparents or Aunts may do things differently from the parents.

I know that I want my children to be warm and they need to wear their jackets when they leave the house. I’m sure we can all agree on this. BUT THEY DON’T FIT IN THE CARSEAT WITH THEIR JACKETS ON!  I know that the harness needs to fit snugly on the chest at armpit level in order to properly restrain children in a crash. If they are wearing puffy jackets, the harness straps will be tight to the jacket and not the body.  All that puff will compress in a crash and the harness will not be tight enough to do its job.

I have found a few suggestions that you may find helpful in handling this dilemma:

1.    Whenever possible, warm up your car before putting the child in. (Don’t forget to open the garage door before starting the car).

2.    Remove his jacket before buckling the harness in the car seat. 

3.    Keep a blanket in the car for the child to use.

4.    Consider purchasing a thinner, yet still warm jacket that may fit better in the car seat.

5.    Dress the child in layers, so even without the jacket, he will be comfortable in the car.

6.    Another alternative is to unzip the jacket completely, buckle the harness and pull each side of the jacket out from under the straps, to the sides.  This should allow you to tighten the harness more securely.

7.    Here’s a test:  Try buckling the child into his car seat with the bulky jacket on.  Pull the straps tight. Now remove the child from the seat without loosening the straps.  Remove the coat and return the child to the seat and see how the harness straps fit.  Do not tighten.  If the straps seem loose, or you can pinch loose strap fabric (webbing) at the shoulder, then the harness is not secure enough to keep your child safe in a crash.