Safer Child Products

In the last couple of weeks, school violence and safety has been on everyone’s minds.  It is hard to imagine that someone could do something so awful as what occurred at the Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT.  Why kill innocent children?  It is enough to make a parent sick, and make you not want to let your children out of your sight!  However, this is not realistic and not healthy for you as a parent, or for your children.  Our school keeps all doors locked, except for the front door to the vestibule outside the main office.  We have been assured that in our district, lock down drills are practiced and emergency plans and procedures are in place.  For my own piece of mind, I have to believe that our school does everything they can on a daily basis to protect my children and all the children in the school.  If you are concerned that your school does not have a policy, or think that your school or parent group can use some resources, check out http://safeschools.org/  

However, it is still a scary time, for both parents and children alike.  Remember that children can sense your fear.  I know that I tend to get short with my kids when I am stressed. I am trying to keep that in check and continue our normal routine.  In our house we have limited the access to the news coverage and have decided to make snowflakes as our contribution to the new school.  Have you seen that? This is a great way to get school aged children involved in doing something positive for the students at Sandy Hook Elementary. Here is the link to how you can help, whether snowflakes, or fundraising. http://www.ctpta.org/SANDY-HOOK-FUND.html

 

In addition, here are some excellent resources to help you talk with and support your children cope with tragedy such as school violence. http://nasponline.org/resources/handouts/revisedPDFs/talkingviolence.pdf

http://www.lucydanielscenter.org/page/talking-with-children-about-school-violence

 

Wishing you all a happy and safe New Year.

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

Christmas may be over, but many families keep their trees and lights up until after New Year’s.  Also, it is still Hanukkah and many families are lighting candles.  Never leave burning candles unattended, be sure to remove dish towels, and wooden serving utensils from area around candles.  Stay alert to the condition and freshness of your tree.  Keep water in the tree stand.  Dry trees are more likely to catch fire.  http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/story/2011-12-19/Christmas-trees-and-trappings-can-fan-fire-risk/52065596/1

I watched a TV program about Amazing Christmas Light Displays.  They were huge and beautifu, however, think of all the extra electricity this requires.  Do not overload your circuits or your extension cords.  Do not hesitate to contact an electrician if you blow a fuse or are concerned about the strain your light display may be placing on your system.

Safer Child Products

I am always curious what parents will do to keep their kids happy in the car.  Do you have toys in the car?  Are they soft, or can they become dangerous projectiles in the event of a crash?  Do you play kiddie music over and over or sing until you are blue in the face?  How about feeding the kids in the car?  I always had snacks with me to keep my children happy while riding in the car.  To this day, my daughter acts like she cannot survive 10 minutes in the car without eating.  When she is hungry, she wants food NOW!

However, with so many choices of car seats and unclear, ever changing guidelines I worry that some parents will change their child’s car seat too soon.  When the baby gets heavy in the carrier, or their toes are hitting everything as you walk by, there is no reason to keep them in the infant carrier (except maybe convenience of portability).  Many convertible car seats can be used rear facing and forward facing.  Just because you move the baby to a bigger seat, certainly does not mean to put the seat forward facing if they are not ready.

Many of the child car seats on the market can be used Rear Facing from as little as 5 pounds and to as high as 35 or 40 pounds.  Check the sticker on the side of your child car seat or the instruction manual.  It is a good idea to keep the instruction manual either attached to the back of the car seat or in your car, so it is available for easy reference. I’ve made that mistake and been asked at a car seat safety check if I have my manual and I did not.  I’ve found that I had questions about where to put the top tether and I’ve had to dig around in the file cabinet to find the instruction manual.

So, you may ask, my baby is always so unhappy in the car and hates to be rear facing.  Unfortunately, this does happen, but perhaps the baby would be happier in a larger seat.  The right seat is the one that fits properly in your car, is easy for you to use and meets the height and weight requirements or your child.

http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html

Safer Child Products

Did you know that last April the American Academy of Pediatrics and Safe Kids Worldwide made new recommendations for keeping children Rear Facing in Car Seats until age 2?  This is a big change.  If this is your first child, you may not know any different, but if this is not your first you may want to say “What?  That sounds crazy!”  However, the recommendations for “best practice” are not crazy.  It goes along with a 2007 study in the journal Injury Prevention that “children younger than 2 are 75% less likely to die or be severely injured in a crash if they are riding in a rear-facing child seat.” 

The purpose of buckling your child into a car seat is to secure them so they do not move in the event of a short stop or crash.  The seat should be tight like it is “one” with the car.  The harness’ job is to keep the child in the seat, so that should be snug to their body, not their clothes.  The goal is to have the child restraint (car seat) take and distribute the force of the crash, over the child’s entire body.  When forward facing, the heavy head is likely to snap forward, injuring or cracking the spine.  As discussed in an article in the Chicago Tribune, “A rear-facing child safety seat does a better job of supporting the head, neck and spine of infants and toddlers in a crash.”
NHTSA reported in USA Today that car crashes remain the leading cause of death for children ages 3 to 14, but a “Properly used child safety seat decreases the risk of death by 71% for infants and 54% for toddlers.” NHTSA also said that ”Children are 59% less likely to be injured in a booster seat than if they were using seat belts alone.”

Always check the height and weight restrictions on the side of your child car seat and follow the recommendations.  If you are using the vehicle seat belt to attach the car seat check daily to be sure that it did not accidentally get popped open. 

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/story/2011-09-15/gaps-in-child-seat-safety/50419556/1

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-05/health/ct-x-1005-car-seat-guidelines-20111005_1_child-safety-rear-facing-car-seats

Safer Child Products

National School Bus Safety Week is coming up October 17^th-21^st, but why wait to learn the rules of the road.  Even if you don’t have school age children, or your children don’t ride the bus to school, school buses are out on the road.  Do you know when it’s ok to pass a school bus and when it’s not?

Passing a STOPPED school bus is against the law.  If you see a school bus with yellow lights flashing, slow down. If the bus has red lights flashing, you must stop. Wait for children to finish crossing, for the Stop Arm or Stop Sign to be pulled back and the lights no longer flashing. 

       According to the Delaware Dept. of Education, “Drivers travelling either direction on a 2 lane road MUST stop when the school bus activates it’s flashing lights and stop sign. When travelling the same direction as the bus on a 4 lane road, you still must stop. If you are driving in the opposite direction on a 4 lane road, you do NOT have to stop.  http://www.doe.k12.de.us/infosuites/schools/transportation/bussafety.shtml

To see a diagram of when to pass and when to stop, visit: http://www.safetylane.org/?p=2073 

Following these laws can save a child’s life.  Pay attention and keep everyone safe on the road.

Safer Child Products

Be cautious when you use hand me down baby products. Be sure that you have the owner’s manual/directions and that you have all the parts.  Check products for recalls at http://www.cpsc.gov/cgi-bin/firm.aspx .

Earlier this month, a co-sleeper that was sold between Sept 1997 and Dec 20001 was recalled due to a risk of suffocation http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml11/11187.html?tab=recalls .  Yes, even after all these years! Cribs are no longer being made with drop sides because children were getting caught between the mattress and the drop-side rail.  Car seats now have expiration dates.  Look for it on a sticker on embossed in the plastic somewhere on the car seat!

Be an educated consumer and put child safety first!

Safer Child Products

Do you know what temperature your hot water heater is set at?  Many hot water heaters only have Low/Med/High settings with line markers in between.  If you have babies or young children living in your home use an outdoor grade thermometer to check the temperature of your hot water.  It is safest to keep the temperature below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent tap water burns.  Burns are the 2^nd leading cause of death in children as they have thinner skin than an adult and burn faster. Be sure to always test the water with your wrist or elbow before you put the child into the bathtub. There are anti-scald devices that can be used in your home.   In fact, that is now required when building new homes. Ask your plumber or your local hardware store for more information. NEVER keep the water running while they climb in, because the temperature may change. It only takes a second or two to sustain 3^rd degree burns if the water is too hot.

Go to http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/child-safety/CC00044 for more information on how to prevent these and other burns.

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

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

December 20, 2010

As parents, we are always looking for the best new toy, the new product that will make our kids happier and smarter. What we need to be aware of is the many small pieces that accompany or make up many toys and games.  Sometimes we do not realize it, or sometimes with our 2^nd or 3^rd child we tend to overlook it as the older children have complex toys with smaller pieces.

This holiday season let’s keep all our kids safer.  A good rule of thumb is that no piece should be able to fit through the hole in the cardboard toilet paper roll. If it does, it can pose a choking hazard for babies and toddlers.

In the American Academy of Pediatrics news, December 2010 issue, Tricia Korioth states that “For children under age 3, choose toys that are at least 1 ¼ inches in diameter and 2 ½ inches long, so they will not lodge in a child’s mouth or throat.”

For more safety tips on choosing toys for young children, see the full article at http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/short/31/12/31-b

Safer Child Products

December 13, 2010

With the holiday season fast approaching, and decorations swiftly being hung, I want to address possible dangers with common plants of the season. When hanging or sitting plants out, be aware of young, curious children who may get their hands on a leaf or a berry and put it in his/her mouth.  Watch children and remove any debris or fallen berries.

Mistletoe Berries, Holly, Poinsettia Leaves can all be harmful or toxic.

For detailed information about these and other poisonous holiday plants, go to http://chemistry.about.com/od/toxicchemicals/tp/poisonous-holiday-plants.htm

If you are concerned that your child may have ingested a part of a harmful plant, call the National Poison Control Center at 1-800 222-1222.

Safer Child Products

Some cars have as many as 11 airbags. Some airbags are not safe next to a child car seat.  Check your vehicle owners’ manual to be sure that you know all the locations of the airbags in your car and if you have side curtain or safety canopy airbags, versus side impact airbags.  Head/chest /torso side impact airbags may be more dangerous to a child passenger due to their size and the force of a deploying airbag. Look also for recommendations on best placement of a child car seat depending on the type of airbag system you have in the rear of the car.

Safer Child Products

Did you know that the experts now recommend that children remain in a 5 point harness in a child car seat for as long as possible, to the maximum height and weight of the child car seat? This means that many children will be in a child car seat and not a booster seat at least past age 4.  Many children will start booster seats later. For more information, see http://www.research.chop.edu/programs/carseat/toddler.php

Safer Child Products

When was the last time you washed your child’s car seat cover? We wash our hands regularly. We wash our clothes after wearing them. Does your child spit up, vomit, spill or have leaky diapers while traveling? Then why don’t you wash your child’s car seat cover more often? There have been times it would have been much easier for us to toss out the entire child car seat than try to clean it’s cover. I am sure most of you can relate to this frustration. My wife and I decided to take some action. We designed, patented and produced a secure and fast, easily removable (S.A.F.E.R) child car seat cover that is needed for those child car seat covers that are difficult to clean. It comes off and goes in the washing machine without taking out the entire child car seat from its secure position or taking apart the child car seat.


Our website at http://www.saferchildproducts.com/  will hopefully help you with practical tips to keep your children safer.