Safer Child Products

My 8 y/o loves baths, but often times we just don’t have time and she needs to take a fast shower instead.  Whenever I run a bath, I close the door so that no one will accidentally fall in and drown.  I have always instructed her to wait for me before she enters the bathroom with the tub running and I never leave her alone in the bathroom if she is in the tub.  If she is in the shower, I may sit in the adjoining bedroom, in case she needs me for anything.

When I run the shower, I always check the water first to make sure it is not too hot for her. This past weekend after playing outside all afternoon, we came home to clean up and shower.  While I was cleaning up downstairs, she went upstairs and started running the water.  I was surprised, because she has never showed the initiative before and I figured I’d go up and check the water temperature before she steps in.  I was quite surprised when I went upstairs and found her sulking in her room with the door closed and the Bathroom door was also closed, but the tub was filling up.  I got very upset and had to explain to her, while remaining calm, that she cannot run the water on her own.  She needs to ask a grown up for help.  I explained that I do not want her to get burned, or to fall in and drown and that we need to keep an eye on the tub so that it does not overflow and cause a flood!  She does not know to check the lever in the tub to see if it is up or down, or what that even indicates! 

We walk such a fine line between fostering independence and hovering over them at all times, trying to keep them safe.  I am grateful that I caught the water in time before anything bad could have happened to her, or to the house!  It just reminds me that she is still young and still needs supervision. 

Also, I know that it only takes about an inch of water for someone to drown.  Here are some home safety tips around water from Safe Kids.  http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/drowning/home-drowning-prevention-tips.html

If you are a parent or a caregiver who routinely transports young children, then you know how difficult it is to get the child car seats installed properly.  Be sure that the child car seat is installed so tight that you cannot push or pull it more than 1 inch in any direction when you grab the child car seat at the rear where the seat belt or latch belt goes through the seat.

Our children all get to the age where they want to buckle their chest clip themselves.  It’s wonderful that they feel they can participate! Make sure the chest clip is secured snugly will top of clip at armpit height. Be sure to check that the straps are tight enough that you cannot pinch a fold in the straps at shoulder.

www.safekids.org/safety-basics/babies/on-the-way/carseat-safety-for-babies.html

Safer Child Products

April 9, 2012

Teeth are such a milestone and conversation piece throughout our lives.  When will baby get his first tooth; when will my daughter lose her first tooth.  It seems like braces and expanders are starting much younger than when I was kid.  My pre-teen daughter is concerned that her teeth are not white enough, while my parents and their friends are all discussing dental implant sugery!

Well, let’s get back to basics.  Besides looking cute, did you know that baby teeth are just as important as adult teeth?  According to the Amercian Dental Association, they are not only helpful for chewing, but they actually “hold space in the jaws for adult teeth. Both primary and permanent help give the face its shape and form.”

I never really thought about where teeth appear from.  Apparently, primary teeth are already in the baby’s jaw at birth. http://www.ada.org/3813.aspx

It’s very important to keep baby’s mouth clean and to prevent decay.  Do not put baby to bed with a bottle and avoid sugary drinks.  Be sure to wipe baby’s gums with a washcloth each day, and never dip the pacifier in sugar or honey before giving to baby.

Decay in primary teeth can often to lead to decay in permanent teeth, so teach your child good oral care habits from the beginning.

Safer Child Products

As a Child Passenger Safety Technician I come into contact with people from all income levels, all types of cars and car seats.  However, being in Delaware, I was surprised to receive a call from an expectant Mom in Mississippi this morning.  She told me that she is unemployed and will soon be welcoming her baby.  Parents are not allowed to leave the hospital with their newborn without an appropriate car seat.  This woman asked my assistance as she cannot afford to purchase one.

This is a common situation.  Child car seats can be very expensive.  There are programs in many states that offer low-cost car seat assistance.  The Department of Motor Vehicles runs this program in Delaware, but the best resource for low-cost car seats and other car seat related questions is to contact your local Safe Kids Coalition.  http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/coalitions/ .  This link is a great resource for all types of child safety information.  Just select your state to find a coalition or an inspection station near you.  It will even tell you if there is a Safe Kids Community Event being held in your area.

While we don’t advise buying or using a 2^nd hand seat unless you are sure you have all the parts, the instruction manual and know the car seat’s history, a used  car seat is better than no car seat at all.

Let's keep all our kids safe!

Safer Child Products

Everyone in my family has seasonal allergies, grass, trees, pollen, but it’s never been more serious than being itchy eyes and sneezing, until a few weeks ago.  My daughter was at an event and they got to sample different types of fruits.  She had a small piece of nectarine, which she’s had in the past, and her tongue got tingly, her ears got itchy. This is when I decided to take her to see an allergist. 

I was amazed to find out that there is such a thing as cross-reactions.  It’s actually called Oral Allergy Syndrome (OAS) or Pollen-Food Syndrome. According to an article by Melissa Schultz in Allergy and Asthma Today, “When people who are sensitized to a particular pollen consume fruits and vegetables in the same plant family, their body mistakes one protein for the other.  This protein cross-reaction can cause itching and swelling of the lips, moth or throat.  Most OAS reactions are local and mild, and disappear with a glass of water.  In very rare instances, however, asthma or anaphylactic shock may occur.”

Here are some examples of cross reaction.  If you (or your child) are allergic to Grass pollen, you may find you have a problem with Tomato, Melon, or Watermelon  and if you are allergic to Latex you should probably avoid banana, kiwi, chesnut, avocado, potato and papaya.

If you have any concerns or have experienced any symptoms or reactions as described above, you may want to consult an Allergist.

Safer Child Products

A friend called us on Friday night telling us that the neighborhood next to ours had a fire. Any fire is upsetting, but when it’s so close to home it’s even scarier.  That’s when I remembered that we are supposed to test our smoke alarms at the same time we are changing our clocks.  Well, the alarm off my kitchen goes off every time I broil, so I know that one works, and the one upstairs is hard wired to our electric system, so I never really worried about that.  However, I was reading a post from Safe Kids Worldwide and they pointed out that even when alarms are hard wired, they need back up batteries in case of a power outage and that the unit itself only lasts 8-10 years.  I know we have been in our house longer than that, so I think it’s time to change out our smoke alarms! 

I read that “having a working smoke alarm reduces a person’s chances of dying in a fire by half!” I say that’s worth the effort!  Make sure you have a smoke alarm on every level of your home and outside the sleeping areas. 

Safe Kids offers Fire Prevention Tips as well.  Check them out at http://www.safekids.org/safety-basics/safety-resources-by-risk-area/fire-burn-and-scalds/fire-prevention-tips-1.html

Let’s keep our families safe!

Safer Child Products

As part of being a Child Passenger Safety Technician, I must stay up to date with new products and car seat technology. 

Last week I completed an online course, or webinar, that debunked many car seat myths and discussed many new car seats that were introduced in 2011.  It was fascinating to see the many new products.  Car seats that have Higher Harness Weights, often 65 or 70 pounds, and some booster seats which last as high as 110 or even 120 pounds.

Many car seats have newer, clearer lock off systems and color coded labels! 

I love that many companies are extending their expiration dates to make these combination and high harness weight seats viable for extended use, but think about it.  If you buy a 3 in 1 seat that can be used Rear Facing, Forward Facing and as a Belt Positioning Booster, but it expires in 6 years from date of Manufacture, will your child really get to maximize this seat? The seat may already be close to 1 year when you purchase it. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that we keep our children Rear Facing until at least age 2 and many car seat companies are increasing the RF weight limits for their new seats.  If you are able to keep your child rear facing until they reach the highest height and weight limit for the seat, perhaps they will be 2 ½ before you turn them forward facing.  With a 70 pound Forward Facing weight limit my 10 year old would still be in a harness!  Buy wait, you need to factor in height as well.  The top of a child’s ears must not be above the top of the car seat shell.  So granted, I may have gotten many years use out of the seat, but was it worth buying a 3 in 1 rather than a convertible that is only RF and FF? 

Did you know that Evenflo requires at least 1 ½ inches between the rear facing child car seat and the seat back of the front seat in front of it?  That is important to take into consideration when you are buying a seat to fit your car as well as your child.

It would be nearly impossible for me to impart all the knowledge I learned during my training.  Every car seat is different and ever car seat manufacturer has different requirements.  I encourage you to read your car seat manual and keep it in the car with your vehicle’s owner’s manual.  Use your vehicle’s owner’s manual as a reference tool to determine proper car seat placement in your vehicle, use of latch and seatbelt/ airbag requirements.

I hope this helps you to understand and appreciate the importance of Child Passenger Safety Technicians and getting your child’s car seat inspected. This allows you get 1:1 attention and information specific to your car seat and your child.

For information on a checkup or community safety event go to http://www.safekids.org/in-your-area/events/?event_type_category=community-event&submit.x=21&submit.y=8&submit=submit

Also, you can call your local Police or Fire Station to inquire if they provide this service.  DO NOT USE 911 FOR THIS.  ONLY CALL 911 IN AN EMERGENCY.

Let’s keep all our children safe!