The Window Covering Safety Council is reminding parents and caretakers to use cordless window coverings after a tragic accidental strangling of a young child on Tuesday. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said corded window coverings are in the top five hidden hazards in homes. Most accidents involve older products that don’t have the safety upgrades that have become standard in the last decade. Parents are urged to follow safety guidelines including installing only cordless window coverings, moving all furniture away from windows and cords, and keeping all pull cords out of reach, according to news reports.
Tag Archives: child safety
Kraft Foods Petitioned to Remove Artificial Dyes
A food blogger wants Kraft Foods to remove artificial dye from its products. She visited the company today in order to present her case to them. She petitioned on Change.org requesting they remove two dyes, yellow #5 and yellow #6, from its food. She claims those dyes are linked to hyperactivity in children along with other health issues, while Kraft argues the product is safe. A spokeswoman from Kraft said they take the complaint seriously and follow laws and regulations. The dyes are legal in the US, but they use a different formula in Great Britain that bloggers say are safer. Many have tried getting the FDA to change their regulations. Over 270,000 signed the petition, according to news reports.
Car Seat Advice for New Parents
Many new parents aren’t sure what kind of car seat to get for their child, and if they’re about to take their new arrival home from the hospital, it can be a daunting task. They want what’s best for their child and the highest possible protection, but many might not know where to start or how to find the product best suited for them. A new parent provided some tips for others about to experience this stage in their life.
One important thing to realize, he says, is that babies are very fragile because their head comprises of most of their entire body weight, and a thin skull equals more chances of brain injuries. Children’s bone structures don’t become sturdy enough until adolescence to be suited for adult seat belts. One huge mistake is putting a child in your lap while driving, which is illegal because they are put at a much higher risk of injury.
There are many choices parents have in keeping their child safe in a vehicle, and choosing the right vehicle is a big decision. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gives five-star ratings to select vehicles that perform well in the area of child protection. The use crash test dummies along with other tests to see if a child’s head can hit something hard in a wreck, how many car seats are compatible, and how easy a baby can get in and out of the car while in a car seat, along with how easy ISOFIX points are in the car seat.
Two ISOFIX points are on the rear seats in most new cars, and many Audis have them in the front seat as well. If you’re considering buying used, look for these features. The sturdy metal loops make it easy to secure a car seat into its place. Avoid front seat airbags, because it’s essential that they not be deployed. If you can turn them off while a baby is traveling in a rear-facing seat in the front, do so, otherwise keep them in the back, which has side air-bags.
In terms of car seats themselves, Britax, BeSafe and Maxi-Cosi are most recommended. Check that the seat is compatible with your car, and that you get an ISOFIX base for a car with ISOFIX points. Keep the seats rear-facing for as long as possible, and never buy a used carseat, according to news reports.
Super-Absorbant Balls Pose Serious Safety Hazard
A popular toy ball that expands when dropped into water could pose a very serious safety hazard for children. The super-absorbent polymer balls were recalled late last year after an 8-month old swallowed one. They had to perform surgery to remove the ball, and if it hadn’t been treated immediately her intestines may have been perforated. The Dunecraft Water Blaz was examined by Consumer Reports, which they determined posed a serious safety hazard because they appear like candy but can expand and black the intestine or airway of a child, according to news reports.
Strollers Recalled for Potential of Strangulation
830 strollers were recently recalled by iCandy World due to an unsafe opening between the seat bottom and bumper bar, which could cause an infant to become stuck. This poses a serious strangulation hazard for young children, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The product was designated as a “Don’t Buy” Decemember. They were sold from 2009-2012 for about $400 each. Customers who purchased this stroller are urged to remove the bumper bar immediately and get in touch with iCandy for a free replacement, according to news reports.
Parents, Grandparents Urged to Hide Their Medicine From Children
Children who take the wrong medication and wind up the emergency room are rarely getting medication from a medicine cabinet or drawer, researchers for Safe Kids announced. Children are finding medication on floors, inside sofa cushions, or purses. Medication left in other places such as countertops become easily accessible by kids. Safe Kids Worldwide, a non-profit group based in Washington, DC, released the report on children medicine safe. The medications taken mistakenly by children were prescribed most often to their grandparents and mothers. Grandma’s pillbox and mom’s purse are common ways children can access medication. 2,315 emergency room records were studied involving children up to age 4 then compiled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in 2011. 67,000 children were admitted into emergency rooms after getting exposed to medicine they weren’t prescribed. The number of those cases increased 30% in just one decade.The increase in the number of medications found in homes also rose. The number of visits to emergency rooms fell slightly from 2010-2011.
27% of wrong medications were taken from the floor, 20% from a purse or bag, 20% from countertops, dressers, or nightstands, and 15% from a pillbox. 6% came from drawers. 86% of medicine belonged to an adult, with moms and grandparents representing the most common source of medicine. A pharmacist said the data was not shocking since grandparents often carry around many medicines with them, and small children rarely get the medicine from medicine cabinets. Those pills are more easily discovered on the floor after getting dropped. Parents who normally keep their medications in a hiding spot might accidentally leave them out once, and a child can quickly gain access to them.
Safe Kids highlighted some ways parents can keep their children safe from accidentally ingesting the wrong medicine, including always keeping them up and out of sight and reach. If a medication is stored properly, research shows they are less likely to gain access. They recommend adults use cell phone reminders if they are worried that keeping the medication hidden will cause them to forget to take them. If there are any visitors, parents are advised to keep their belongings, including and bags and coats, hidden away. When children visit their grandparent’s home, their parents should make sure that all medication is stored away. They can bring up the topic by saying their child is very curious. Call the National Poison Help Line if your children takes improper medication, according to news reports.
Study Finds Child Passenger Safety Instructions Not Always Provided
In a recent study published by Pediatric Emergency Care, over a third of ER physicians said they’re not sure if their departments provide child passenger safety information to patients. Fewer than half of doctors stated that after a car wreck, the parent of a 2-year-old would be provided with instructions on car seats and child care while driving. Car crashes are the leading cause of fatality among children ages 4 and younger, and older children in the United States. Many children aren’t restrained or aren’t given the proper restraint for their age and size, according to news reports.
Advice for Child Safety in Homes
If you are a parent or plan on taking care of young children, PEMCO advises you take some necessary steps to make sure your home is safe. Cover corners of furniture with padding or remove them, make sure cupboards are secured with childproof locks, cover all electrical outlets, do not let children gain access to window-blind cords, set the hot water heater to no higher than 120 degrees, put harmful chemicals and cleaners out of reach, never leave children unattended, and secure all furniture such as televisions, bookshelves and cabinets, according to news reports.
Increasing Number of Children Ingest Laundry Packets
There have been many cases in the United States and Australia involving children ingesting detergents packets, leading to hospitalization. They’ve experienced excessive vomiting, throat swelling, difficulty breathing, and loss of consciousness. If the product gets in their eyes, they may experience irritation or a complete loss of eyesight. There have been an increase in the number of cases over the past few months. The packets are colorful and children may mistake them for toys. They dissolve quickly in saliva. Parents are advised to keep them away from children and locked up, according to news reports.
Poison Prevention Week Longest-Running Health Campaign
The country’s longest-running public health campaign is this week, the National Poison Prevention Week. Many of the successes of the week include adding child-resistant closures to certain chemicals and medicines. It began over 50 years ago, and at that time around 400 children were killed due to unintentional poisoning each year, with aspirin leading to most deaths. Now, around 40 die each year. CPSC still thinks that number is too high, and they continue to search for ways to bring the number of deaths down to zero. They are encouraging parents and caretakers to pay special attention to dangers involved with coin-size batteries and liquid laundry pods, according to news reports.