Safer Child Products

I was speaking with a friend of mine who has a toddler and she was commenting on how her little one gets into EVERYTHING!! At that age children need to be very closely supervised.  Not only do they move fast, but they are very curious.  If they can’t see or can’t reach, they will reach up and feel the surface to see what’s there.  They will pull on anything hanging down, i.e.: a cord or a tablecloth.  What worries me most this time of year is the potential for burns via candles or hot pots.  As the weather gets colder and the holiday season approaches, we are more likely to be cooking soups, stews and ciders.  Be sure to keep pot handles turned in, so they are not hanging over the edge of the stove.  Cook on back burners whenever possible.  If you have a flat top cooking surface, consider getting a plastic guard for the front of your stove, like the one shown in One Step Ahead http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=29&cmSource=Search

Safer Child Products

This summer, my 8 ½ y/o finally learned to ride a bike without training wheels!  This was a big celebration in our house.  I knew that confidence was half the battle with her. I suppose the other half was just practice.  Around the same time, her 4 ½ year old cousin learned to ride as well.  Sometimes it bothers her that younger kids are able to do more than she can, but it is so individual. 

What’s been nice, is that we live in a fairly quiet subdivision and there are lots of kids, so they always have someone to play or ride with and I am now comfortable letting them go out around the neighborhood alone during the day, as long as I know where they are going and who they are with (never solo).

When they were much younger, I had my kids ride their tricycles back and forth on our back deck!  Whatever the age, be sure your child is wearing a properly fitting helmet (http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/pedbimot/bike/easystepsweb/). Shop around for a helmet that not only fits, but that your child likes.  If they don’t like how it looks, or how it feels, they will not wear it. To check to see whether your state mandates bicyclists to wear helmets, go to http://www.helmets.org/mandator.htm .

Closed shoes are also important; Flip flops can slide off or get caught and even open sandals can allow their feet or toes to get scraped up.

Although more and more bicycle paths are popping up in our area, I would not feel comfortable taking my kids out riding on the main street with so many cars.  We often forget that children cannot do all the things that adults can do, and often do not react as quickly as adults do. One example that NHTSA points out is that children “do not automatically use sound to determine traffic location. Children automatically use their vision to identify traffic and do not typically think to use sounds as a strategy to determine where traffic is coming from.”

Check your child’s bike before they go out riding to be sure the tires are filled up enough and that the brakes and chain are working properly and free of rust.

Let’s get out and get active and still keep our children safe!

Safer Child Products

With this extreme heat, we need to be careful to keep ourselves and our young children hydrated.  Dehydration is common when exerting yourself in such hot conditions. 

What is dehydration? Dehydration is when your body loses more fluid than it is taking in.  Acording to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561

“Common causes of dehydration include intense diarrhea, vomiting, fever or excessive sweating. Not drinking enough water during hot weather or exercise also may cause dehydration. Anyone may become dehydrated, but young children, older adults and people with chronic illnesses are most at risk.”

Children are small and tend to lose fluids more quickly than adults.  Also, infants cannot regulate their body temperature, so you may want to keep them indoors out of the heat.  If you find yourself and your children outside playing, here are some suggestions to keep yourselves cool and hydrated.

1.     Stay in the shade whenever possible. 

2.     Try to keep outdoor activity to early mornings and evenings when it may be less hot.

3.     Take frequent breaks for water or freezer pops/ ice cream

4.     Get wet in the pool/ lake/ sprinkler to cool off and lower your body temperature

5.     Wear light, loose fitting clothing

For more information and safety tips regarding the effects of extreme heat, visit http://yosemite.epa.gov/ochp/ochpweb.nsf/content/heat.htm

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

Safer Child Products

Did you know that Child Car Seats have Expiration dates?  The life span for a child Car Seat is about 6 years from the date of Manufacture, not the date you take it out of the box! I’ve heard more, I’ve heard less.

“Why do they expire?” you ask. I used to wonder the same thing.

After a number of years, technology changes and improves, so we as consumers are encouraged to get newer seats with newer technology, because presumably the newer technology is safer. This is not the only reason though.  The strain and stress on the plastic “shell” can start to wear on the seat over time.  The extreme temperatures that we find in the car can weaken and ultimately crack the plastic, and the Styrofoam “padding” can start to disintegrate.   

“So where can I find the expiration date?”  The expiration date for your Child Car seat should be found in one of several places.  Your best bet is always to check the owner’s manual that came with your child car seat.  The other places you can check is: (1) The sticker on the side of your Child Car Seat or (2) Embedded in the hard plastic on the back of the child car seat. It should say “DO NOT USE THIS CHILD RESTRAINT AFTER….” It will list a month and a year.  If you cannot find it in either of these places, call the manufacturer to find out.