Safer Child Products

Child Abuse is something that is probably not talked about as often as it should be.  It comes to the forefront when there is a scandal, such as what’s happening with the Coaches at Penn State.  I am not a sports fan, I do not follow College Football but I can’t help but follow the allegations that a trusted, well respected man sexually assaulted young boys.  And that this has been going on, and covered up for more than 10 years is beyond upsetting and sickening to me.

I looked up some statistics and information on child abuse, to increase my understanding of the prevalence and why children do not tell when someone is or has abused them. According to Prevent Child Abuse Delaware, “Once every minute a child is abused.” I was shocked to learn that 80% of victims were abused by parents and that as many as 4 children die each day from child abuse. Children often don’t tell anyone about the abuse for many reasons.  One reason is that when children are very young, (50% of child abuse occurs before a child is 6 years old) they do not understand that what is happening is abuse and often children think it is their fault.  With the high incidence of the abusers being parents or loved ones, children don’t want to get their loved one in trouble, or to break the family apart.

It is important for us to talk to our children about what adults they can talk to if they are hurt or upset.  Review with them what their 4 private parts are (mouth, chest, and area covered by underpants) and that no one should touch those places unless they are helping to keep the child clean and healthy (i.e.: bathing or medical exam).  Encourage your child to tell you if someone talks to or touches him/her in a way that makes them feel uncomfortable or that they don't like.

For more tips and suggestions on how to help prevent child abuse and warning signs of abuse, go to http://www.pcadelaware.org/safety/index.htm .  Another great resource is http://helpguide.org/mental/child_abuse_physical_emotional_sexual_neglect.htm

Let’s work together to keep all our children safe.

Safer Child Products

My niece and nephew came to visit this weekend.  They are 4 and 2.  They are so cute and so much fun to play with. We all had a great time.  However, when you have a 2 y/o visiting, you have to be conscious of small pieces in toys and games and my niece loves to go up and down the stairs.  Most of the day she was engaged and well supervised, but at one point I went upstairs and found her walking down!  I got very nervous!  I had not closed the bathroom doors upstairs. In fact, I noticed that the lid on the toilet was open!  What if she had fallen into the toilet or fallen down the stairs?  What if she got caught on the closet door? 

Fortunately, none of these things happened, but Unintentional Injuries are the leading cause of injury and death among children in the United States.  According to the article Unintentional Injuries in Pediatrics, “1 in 4 children sustains an unintentional injury that requires medical care each year.”  To summarize the chart, the leading cause of Unintentional Injury Death Among Children Age 0-10 Year, 2000- 2005, Suffocation was #1 for infants younger than 1 yr. and Drowning was on top for children 1-4 years old.  For children older than 5 years, Motor Vehicle Crashes were the leading cause of injury, death and disability.  I could not believe when I read that “In 2005, 20 children younger than 19 years of age were killed each day from motor vehicle crashes and more than 200, 000 were injured in that year.”

I hate the thought of children being hurt ever, but if there is something we can do to prevent these injuries, than let’s all make an extra effort to do so. Below is the list of Injury Prevention Tips, from Table 2 and most we’ve heard before. It doesn’t hurt to see it again in fact, we could all use reminders and re-evaluations of our situations.  In spite of all we can do, there is no substitute for close supervision. 

Motor Vehicle Crash

·         Back seat (middle) placement of child
·         Rear-Facing car seat until age 2yrs,  
·         Forward-Facing car seat until at least 40 lbs
·         Booster Seat until at least 80 lbs. and 57 inches
·         Always check manufacturer’s specifications on car seat
·         Proper use of seat belts

Drowning

·         Enclose Pools w/ at least 4-ft fence and self-closing gate
·         Wear Life Jackets on boats and when playing near water
·         Do Not leave children unattended in baths
·         Supervise closely (adult within 1 arms reach of a child in or near water)
·         Teach swimming and water safety

Fire and Burns

·         Install smoke detectors on every level of the home and near sleeping areas
·         Test smoke detectors monthly, replace batteries yearly
·         Establish a family fire escape plan
·         Keep lighters, matches out of reach
·         No smoking in bed!
·         Reduce water heater temperature to 120 degrees
·         Do not drink hot fluids near children
·         Never leave the stove unattended
·         Keep appliance cords, pot handles, grills and fireplaces out of reach
·         Cover outlets with protective devices

Poisoning

·         Keep all potential poisons in original containers and out of reach
·         Keep all medication out of reach
·         Place child-resistant caps on medication
·         Dispose of medications immediately and safely
·         Install Carbon Monoxide detectors on every level of home
·         Keep poison control number near the phone 1-800-222-1222

Threats to Breathing

·         Back to sleep
·         Remove comforters, pillows, bumpers and stuffed animals from crib
·         Avoid nuts, carrots, popcorn and hotdog pieces
·         Keep coins, batteries, small toys,  magnets and toy parts awat from children < 4years old
·         Cut blind cords and tie them out of reach
·         Ensure cribs and mattresses meet safety precautions

Falls

·         No baby walkers with wheels
·         Supervise children closely
·         Use safety straps in high chairs, shopping carts, and for diaper changes
·         Keep car seats and “bouncy chairs” on the floor

 Recreation

·         Ensure helmets are fitted and worn properly
·         Keep children <10 years old off the road
·         Remove drawstrings, scarves, and ropes from clothing when children are on playground
·         Supervise children closely
·         Ensure playground equipment has deep soft surface underneath

Above information taken from Pediatrics in Review Vol. 32 No.10 October 2011, pages 431-433

Safer Child Products

Most kids look forward to Halloween as an opportunity to get dressed up in costumes, whether cute or scary, and get LOTS and LOTS of candy.  How do
you handle the Halloween Candy obsession in your house?  Do you let them eat as much as they want on Halloween Night, hoping they will not want to see another piece of candy after that?  Or do you dole out 1 or 2 pieces of candy each night, finding that you still have tons of leftovers next Halloween?

How about using this opportunity to teach your kids about giving back and gratitude?  The Halloween Candy Buy Back Program encourages kids to “sell” their candy to a participating dentist or orthodontist and they in turn will send the candy overseas to our troops.  I am all for getting rid of the candy and if can brighten someone’s day while they are fighting to protect freedom, I am all for it.  I am in favor of giving my kids allowance or a prize for doing something extremely kind or helpful, but do they really need money for donating candy?  If your kids are old enough to understand, perhaps help them right a letter to the troops to include with the candy?

Whatever your feeling on payment, check out the website
http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/index.html  and enter your zipcode to find a participating dental office near you.  You’ll be glad you did (and hopefully your kids will learn to appreciate it too. )

Safer Child Products

You may have figured out by now that we are all about child safety. Since my husband Allen is a pediatrician, we have access to all the journals and AAP recommendations as they come out.  I just read the AAP’s latest statement on sleep.  I like that it encompassed all Sudden Unexpected Infant Death (SUID), not ONLY SIDS. 

The AAP strongly recommends that infants sleep flat on their backs, with no pillow, no blanket, no bumpers or soft toys. These accessories are things that we, as adults, associate with sleep and comfort. It is not necessary, and can be dangerous for infants.  They should continue to sleep on their backs until 1 year of age or the time when they can roll themselves over and back again.

When my kids were that age, I had several friends who said the only way they could get their babies to sleep was to put them in the infant carrier.  I believe they even transitioned the carrier into the crib to familiarize their infant w/ the crib environment.  I even heard parents who let their babies sleep on their bellies for naptime, but at night, they laid them on their backs.  Nap time shouldn’t be any different than night time.  Sleep is sleep.

In October 17^th’s issue of Pediatrics, the policy statement entitled “Sleep and Other Sleep-Related Infant Deaths: Expansion of Recommendations for a Safe Infant Sleeping Environment” details 15 recommendations, and explanations for many of them, but how realistic are they in practice?  I understand that they want infants to sleep on their backs in the crib and not in car seats, swings, strollers or other “sitting devices”, but infants and young children spend so much of their time sleeping, are we supposed to wake them up every time they fall asleep in the car, or in the swing?  Some parents will drive around the block just to soothe their baby or get them to sleep.  Many babies find swings soothing and will nap in those as well.  Is the AAP suggesting that we don’t use swings?  We all want our children to be safe and the AAP makes many excellent points. The nice thing about the infant carrier is that we do not have to wake the baby to take them into the store.  With slings and cloth carriers the recommendations are to have the child’s head up above the fabric and not nestled against the adult’s body.  Again, I get it, but is that realistic with very young children? 

Go ahead and read the recommendations yourself and tell me what you think.  A lot of them make sense, and we all want our children to be safe, but how are you going to apply these to your real life?   http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2011/10/12/peds.2011-2284

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

My children and I all have seasonal allergies.  With all the rain and crazy weather patterns, this fall has been particularly itchy, sneezy and coughy.  We all take over the counter anti-histamines.  As part of my morning routine, when I come downstairs, I make the kids lunch, get toothbrushes ready and take out the allergy medicine.  The kids eat breakfast, brush their hair and hopefully brush their teeth.  Many times allergy medicine gets over looked.  What do I do?  Leave it on the counter for them to take when they get home.  Fortunately, my kids are older now and have been taught not to “eat” or take any medication that is not specifically given to them by their parents or grandparents, when in their care.  However, having pills sit out on the counter is NOT a good idea.  My husband keeps reminding me of this.  Some risks with leaving pills of any kind out include, being knocked over onto the floor, or into food being prepared.  Also, we have friends and neighbors come by the house a lot, and how can I assume that someone else’s child is as cautious and knowledgeable about not taking other people’s medication?  Just because I know what it is, doesn’t mean that someone else in my household knows what it is, or who remembers if they took their pill in the morning?  I am risking someone taking a 2^nd pill that day.

As I sit back and review these risks, and potential poisoning, I realize that I need to be more careful.  I need to either hand the pill to my child, or put it back in its original container where it won’t get lost or confused. 

If you suspect that your child has taken medication he wasn’t supposed to, or you gave them the wrong dose, or even picked up a suspicious “mushroom” or berry growing in the garden, you might want to call National Capital Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222.  Keep this number by your telephone. The National Capital Poison Center’s website, http://www.poison.org/ provides a great explanation of what they can do, and why they should be your first call in a poisoning emergency.  In fact, Poison Control Staff can often safely treat someone at home and prevent a costly Emergency Room Visit. 

Pay close attention to dosage instructions on all medication bottles and keep all medication in its original container and away from children. Be aware that Tylenol has changed dosing instructions for infant’s Tylenol and changed the syringe, so be sure to read carefully or ask your Dr. for advice before administering the medication to your child.  When overdosed, even Tylenol can be harmful and cause liver damage. On the Tylenol website, go to page 3 of the changing “display” Page 3.  It tells about Product Enhancements in both Infant’s and Children’s Tylenol products.

http://www.tylenol.com/index.jhtml?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Franchise.Fr+-+Branded&utm_term=tylenol&utm_content=Branded+General|mkwid|sxpLawx45|pcrid|9728974033