Last October, in an ongoing effort to prevent SIDS, the
American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) made a statement that Pediatricians should
Discourage the use of Crib Bumpers, stating that babies can suffocate against
them, or get strangled in them. The AAP states that there is no evidence
proving that bumpers prevent injury. Crib bumpers are equated with other soft
bedding and toys and just don’t belong in the crib.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Safer Child Products
I
just read an article from USA Today about new recommendations for parents when using
LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) to install their child car
seats. What was intended to make child car seat installation easier has its own
set of problems. Not all LATCH Bars (Lower
Anchors) are easy to access between the seats, and the pulling and tightening
of the strap is not easy at every angle.
However, the latest recommendation is not to use the LATCH bars (Lower Anchors)
if the child and car seat combined
weigh more than 65 pounds. It’s not common knowledge that the Lower Anchors
have a weight limit between 40 and 48 pounds.
However,
whether you are using Lower Anchors, or Seatbelt, you should always use the top tether on a forward
facing seat, to reduce forward head movement in a crash. By securing the top of the child car seat with
a top tether, you are helping to prevent head injuries.
Some
might be inclined to use both the Lower Anchors and Seat Belts together, but
this is not recommended because it
puts too much force on the car seat.
This
whole thing gets more confusing by the day! It’s really a shame that the
industry is not standardized. Every
vehicle is different and every car seat is different and each manufacturer has
different rules and recommendations.
There is a manual specifically dedicated to LATCH for Child Passenger
Safety Technicians to reference. My
advice is to read the manual that comes with the car seat and reference your
vehicle owner’s manual with any questions relating to which seating position is
allowed for a rear facing seat, LATCH, airbags and more. Keep both these manuals handy and when in
doubt contact a fitting station or a Child Passenger Safety Technician near
you.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Safer Child Products
All
vehicles and Child Car Seats made after 2002 are required to be equipped with
the LATCH system, (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children). To locate the LATCH anchors between the
vehicle seat back and bottom, look for a small circle with a diagram of a child
in a seat. 
There
should be a diagram just above each LATCH anchor point. If you are still unsure, check your vehicle’s
owners manual.
There
should be a diagram just above each LATCH anchor point. If you are still unsure, check your vehicle’s
owners manual.
When
you secure the LATCH clips, make sure that the opening or jaw of the clip is
facing downward. If the strap attached
to the LATCH clips routes through the
child car seat, be sure that the belt is in the correct path for the direction of
your seat. The seatbelt, or LATCH belt,
should always use the path that is closest to the vehicle’s seat back. Many
seats will have a label where to route the belt rear facing and where to route
it forward facing.
Even
though the Child Car Seat may have a weight limit of 55, 65 or even 80 lbs, the LATCH anchors have a weight limit as
well and may only be rated to 40 or 48 lbs.
Check your vehicle owner’s manual.
If this is the case, you will need to switch from the LATCH system to
securing the Child Car Seat with the vehicle seatbelt instead.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Safer Child Products
My 11 year old daughter takes
a prescription allergy pill every night.
On evenings that I am out, I worry, do I leave it for her in a medicine
cup on the counter, do I leave the bottle on the counter with instructions for
her to take 1 ? At age 11, and mature, I never know what to leave her in charge
of and what instructions to leave with the sitter.
When they are 11, they
probably have it ingrained, not to take any medication that is not given to
them by their parent/caregiver, or prescribed for them by their doctor, but
when they are 3, they do not know. I
used to worry when my parents came over with the baggies full of pills, left on
the counter. What if my kids find
them? Are they going to be tempted to
try one?
Many pills are colorful
and look like candy. It is easy to get
them confused.Here are some simple suggestions on how to keep your children
safe from harm when it comes to accidental ingestion of medication, from http://www.ncpoisoncenter.org/body.cfm?id=115
Lock medicines up where children cannot see or reach them.
• Make sure medicine contains child-resistant packaging if possible. Keep in mind, NOTHING is childproof!
• Make sure medicine contains child-resistant packaging if possible. Keep in mind, NOTHING is childproof!
•
Store medicines in their original containers.
•
Don't call medicine candy.
•
Take your medicines where children cannot watch; children often learn by
imitation.
•
Teach children to ask an adult before putting anything in their mouth.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Safer Child Products
It’s Memorial Day, and
the weather is steamy! Many families
have packed up and taken for the beach!
The summer season has officially arrived. Whether working in your
garden, playing on the ball field or playground, or sitting by the pool, make
sure you and your children are adequately protected. Although some sun exposure is healthy, promoting
production of Vitamin D, if you are going to be out for an extended period of
time, don’t forget the sunscreen, even on cloudy days!
According to the June
2012 issue of Consumer Reports, Not All Sunscreens are created equal! It is
best to choose a sunscreen that is rated well in protecting against BOTH UVA and
UVB radiation. In the article they
explain the risks of UV radiation as it “may promote skin cancer by damaging the
DNA in skin cells and by weakening the body’s natural defenses against cancer
cells.”
Don’t assume that
because your sunscreen says “kids” on it, that it is any better than
another. Read the labels and read the
reviews as certain ingredients may be harmful .
Also, be sure to wear hats and protect your eyes. Re-apply every 2 hours and especially after
having been in the water.
Have a safe holiday!
Monday, May 21, 2012
Safer Child Products
I have heard so many
stories of frustration from parents saying their car seats don’t fit properly
in their car. This is often a problem,
especially if you have to put a larger seat rear-facing, or when you need to
fit 2 or 3 car seats across. Did you
know that Evenflo does not allow a RF car seat to be touching the back of the
seat in front of it? Their infant carriers must be 1 ½ inches from the seat
back in front of them. Think about it. How many vehicle manufacturers are
there? Multiply that by the number of child
car seat manufactures and then don’t forget to include the number of different
car seat models and vehicle models! It’s
impossible for every car and every car seat to be compatible with so many sizes
and shapes of each one!
I find it so frustrating
that some manufacturers allow the handle of the infant carrier to be upright
while others require it to be back.
There are no hard and fast rules about what car seat is best. More expensive does not necessarily mean
better. All child car seats need to meet
the same safety standards. You need to
choose the car seat that fits best in your car, is appropriate for the age,
height and weight of your child and is easy for you to use, so that you will
use it the right way, every time you travel. It is so important to read the
owners’ manual that comes with your car seat and to reference the vehicle owner’s
manual as well.
When shopping for a car
seat, ask the store manager if you can try it in your car. I’m not sure if you will need to buy it first,
but if so, be clear about the return policies of that store. You may be able to take it right out into the
parking lot and try it in your car.
Do you know which
positions in your car are able to be used with LATCH? Has using LATCH made your car seat
installations easier? That’s now always
the case. Check out this article about
the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) which were instituted to
make car set installation easier. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2012/04/study-says-baby-seats-hard-to-install-in-most-cars/1#.T7pisEVfEWo
Once you’ve read the
owner’s manual and installed your seat, consider going to get your installation
checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician. Visit www.safekids.org
for a list of checkup events or inspection stations in your area.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Safer Child Products
How many of us have
looked forward to transitioning our children to sippy cups? Whether from the breast or the bottle, it is
a big milestone when they learn to drink from a cup, and the independence it
brings along with it!
Well, it’s been all over
the news this morning, childhood injuries associated with pacifiers, bottles
and sippy cups. Children are ending up
in the emergency room because of injuries associated with bottles and sippycups!? There is nothing inherently wrong with these
products, it seems to be that unsteady toddlers are walking around (or maybe
even running) the house with their bottle or sippy cup and when they fall, they
are getting broken teeth and cuts on their face and mouth.
According to a study
published in Pediatrics 5/9/2012, Cuts were the most common injury seen, mostly
on the head, neck and face, but Pacifiers were most commonly associated with
soft tissue and dental injuries.
How can this be
avoided? There are several
recommendations. Fist of all, "The American Academy of
Pediatrics recommends children move from bottles to open cups at age 1 and
discontinue using pacifiers by age 3". If the cup is open, then the child
must learn to sit or stay in one spot while drinking. If they are not walking around with the cup
or bottle in their mouth, they the toddler will be less likely to suffer from
cuts and bruises to the mouth and face when they inevitably fall.
To see the complete study, go to http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/early/2012/05/09/peds.2011-3348.full.pdf+html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)